Shadow Over Trolberg
by D.D. Danger
Summary: In 1994, a series of murders shakes the small town of Trolberg. Now the new kid in town, Randall, and his friends have a chance to alter fate. This story loosely follows the plot of Persona 4, and is mainly intended for the Hilda fandom. This story has been updated for quality as of 5/25/20. This does not change any of the plot.
1. This Power, Is Mine!

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

This Power, Is Mine

4/11

Opening his eyes, Randall noticed something had changed about his train car. The seats, and the walls, everything was awash with blue. Outside was only fog. There was no way to tell where he was.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room." the voice of an old man came from across the car. He had terrifyingly long ears, and likewise for his nose. He was with a young woman; both were also adorned in blue.

"It would seem that you have an unusual destiny ahead of you." A moment of silence passed

"I'm Igor. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"And I'm Margaret. I'll be accompanying you on your journey." said the woman in blue.

"This place exists between mind and matter, separating dreams from reality. Only those who have formed a contract are welcome here, so perhaps in the near future, a similar fate is awaiting you."

"Your journey should be quite interesting. Until our paths cross again." Margaret waved and the train car faded to black around Randall.

Randall's train jerked to a stop, returning to its normal colors, and the Scandinavian countryside returned to visibility. What a strange dream. It was hard to believe the trains didn't even go to this Trolberg place. How small could it really be?

Randall was still unsure about leaving the capital to live in Trolberg for a year. He was supposed to be looking for his uncle, but even then, he'd only ever seen him in pictures. He stepped off the train, bag in tow.

"You look just like the pictures my sister sent me!" a rough male voice came from the crowd around the station. A man who looked like his uncle stepped into vision, a young blonde haired girl in tow.

"It's me, your uncle Arren!" Randall smiled and walked over to him.

"You were a baby the last time I saw you! You've still got your mom's curly hair though." He ruffled through Randall's hair, causing a few blonde curls to fall in front of his glasses.

"This is my daughter, Hilda." The small girl ducked behind her father.

"Hello!" said Randall, waving gently.

The drive from the train station to Trolberg was more than 45 minutes. Randall thought about his parents, off on a year's trip to Japan, leaving him to stay with his uncle in the middle of nowhere. The wall around Trolberg came into view at the crest of a hill. The town did have a sort of charm to it.

"What's going on there?" Randall pointed at a section of the wall, covered in scaffolding.

"The wall's getting old, and a Troll broke through a few weeks ago. They've been getting closer to the city than usual recently." Randall looked nervously at his uncle.

"Don't worry, it didn't hurt anyone." His uncle smiled. They were now in the queue to enter the gates.

"I'm glad you're staying with us for a year. I think you'll learn to love Trolberg." He turned his head back to the road.

The wall turned into mostly small, warm colored houses and small stores. Two buildings stood out, a bell tower, and a modern department store. Randall's uncle drove in the direction of the store, which quickly began to show the color scheme of a Junes.

"Trolberg has a Junes? That's surprising." Randall said.

"Only opened this year. The locals think it's ruining the small businesses, though. However, it added Trolberg's second gas station, and theirs is cheaper." Uncle Arren pulled into the gas station. Hilda pulled on his pant leg, pointing at the bathroom.

"Watch the car, okay?" He asked of Randall. He nodded and his uncle and cousin disappeared.

"What can I do for you?" A gas pump attendant had shown up behind Randall. He had gray hair, but appeared young otherwise.

"Regular." Randall could only guess what his uncle wanted.

"You in high school?" the attendant asked.

"Yeah, I'm new to town."

"Well we're hiring if you want a little money."

"Nah." Randall denied.

"Well, why don't you get comfortable and think about it?" The attendant reached out for a handshake. Randall shook his hand and nodded.

"Ready to go?" His uncle had returned. Randall began walking and got a sudden splitting headache.

"Are you okay? Hilda asked.

"Yeah, I think I'm just tired." Randall weakly answered.

The ride to Randall's new home was short, down the main road, past the library a bit, to a small reddish house. His uncle had selected some TV dinners for them to eat.

"Sorry, I'm not much of a cook." he informed.

"I hope you can feel at home with us for the next year." His phone rang.

"It's work." He got out of his seat to answer.

"Detective Elison." he paused. "I'm on my way." He hung up.

"Sorry, I have to work." He gathered his coat and left the house.

"Daddy!" Hilda yelled.

"Hey, it's raining! Did you bring the laundry in?"

"Yes, Daddy!"

"Alright. Don't wait up for me, okay?" He yelled back before closing the door.

"He's a police detective, right?" Randall asked his cousin.

"Yeah, it's always like this." she said. She turned on the TV. The machine crackled to life in the middle of the familiar Junes commercial, and Hilda sang back the end of the jingle.

"Everyday is great at your Junes." Randall looked at her. She smiled back.

After eating his dinner, Randall headed to his room to unpack. His uncle has left him a futon to sleep on, and a small TV to watch. He opened a box with his old school uniform. Trolberg didn't even have a uniform, and only one school building. He sat down on his futon and closed his eyes.

"Do you wish to learn the truth?" He opened his eyes to a foggy room with a shadowy figure.

"Then do your best to catch it." Everything went black.

4/12

It was a rainy Tuesday morning as Randall walked to school. As he approached the gate a girl with blue hair blew past him on a bike, crashing into a bush near the gate. He was afraid to get involved and let her be.

"Take your seats on the double!" The teacher who'd introduced himself as Mr. Cory yelled at the class.

"This is our new transfer student, Randall. Now, kid, we do things differently here than the big city, so you better keep your head down!" He was bound to continue, but Randall's life was saved by a tall boy with brown-orange hair.

"Sir, can he sit next to me?" He asked.

"Sure, sit next to David. Just watch for bugs." Randall wasn't sure what he meant. He took a seat next to David.

"He's all bark, don't worry!" said David. Randall looked out the window, noting a dense fog rolling over the city.

The school day was a drag. Mr. Cory was indeed all bark, but he could do a lot of barking. The bell was a welcome sound, but it was short lived, as it was followed by an announcement.

"Attention, all students: there has been an incident near campus, please stay in your classrooms."

The classroom filled with whispers. Randall was prepared to walk home on his own, when David flagged him down.

"Just in case something bad happened, do you want to walk home with us?" He gestured towards a tall, dark haired girl. "This is Frida."

"Nice to meet you." she said.

"Hey, David!" The blue haired girl ran up to him.

"Thanks for letting me borrow your rock collection!" She handed the box over and continued walking.

"What did you do, Hilda?" He asked, and she stopped.

"I fell off my bike and lost a few." she said quietly.

The four began walking home, and Randall explained why he was in Trolberg. They barely noticed all the police cars on the roads.

4/13

Randall once again ran across Hilda in the morning, stuck in a bush near the gate. He chose to help her this time.

"Thanks! How about I treat you to some food after school?" Randall was unsure.

"You're new here, of course you don't have any plans! You know I was new here only a few years ago and-" David suddenly appeared.

"I think you owe me food, too, Hilda." It seemed Randall was hanging out with these two after school.

After school the three met up at the Junes food court. David and Hilda were arguing over something, but Randall found himself watching the news on one of the food court TV's.

"The body found yesterday has been determined to be the leader of the local Sparrow Scout troop-"

"That's creepy, isn't it?" David said.

"I've never heard of anything like that happening in Trolberg." Hilda said.

"It's not even a big city. The murderer could be one of our neighbors." she added.

"Please… don't say that." said David, nervously.

"Okay well, have you guys heard about the Midnight Channel?" Hilda asked.

"Midnight Channel?" Randall inquired.

"Isn't that the thing where you look at a TV at midnight while it's raining and you see stuff?" David asked.

"Not just stuff, they say whoever you see is your soulmate! It's supposed to rain tonight, let's check it out!" Hilda was adamant.

"Sounds like another wild rumor, Hilda. She's always like this, Randall, don't buy it." David seemed much less impressed over the rumor. David suddenly looked up past Hilda.

"Hey, Nessa!" A girl with her hair dyed red came over and David walked to meet her.

"I like Nessa. She's sweet, and an awesome guitarist." Hilda elaborated.

"What's she play?"

"Rock, she's part of a garage band. And she's not David's girlfriend, by the way, although he is flipped over her." Nessa had said goodbye to David and he was returning.

"Yes!" David said, sitting down.

"Did you finally ask her out?" Hilda asked.

"Uh... No, but she agreed I can hang out with her band at their next practice!" David put his hand up to get a high five from Hilda- she returned the gesture, but was obviously a little disappointed in David.

Randall was watching the news with his cousin, her name also being Hilda was bound to get confusing at some point. They had just finished replaying part of an interview with a girl who had found that scout leader's body, apparently hanging from an old TV antenna. Uncle Arren was asleep behind them.

After everyone had gone to sleep, Randall found himself looking at the TV in his room, a little before midnight, the sound of rain and thunder outside of his window. Just as midnight struck, his TV filled with static and he was stricken with a severe headache. A voice rang in his head.

"I am thou, and thou art I." Randall stumbled around his room.

"Ye who shalt open the door-" A figure of a girl now appeared in the static on his TV, he reached for her, barely able to see. However instead of bracing against the TV his hand went through and he bashed his head against the TV, falling to the floor.

4/14

"So you put your hand into the TV?" Hilda asked. The three were in the classroom at the end of the school day, Frida had already left.

"It sounds like you were dreaming. I'm hesitant to believe that I even saw static last night," David said.

"But what if he did, David? We have to check!" David shot his friend a disappointed look.

"Fine, why don't we find him a full sized TV so he can jump right in!" David began laughing uncontrollably. To his dis-amusement however, the three were soon in the TV department of Junes, now joined by Hilda's pet deerfox, Twig.

"I didn't seriously want to try this, you know." he said.

"Can you at least use your connections to cut me a deal on a TV while we're here?" He asked.

"Connections?" Randall asked.

"My mom works here sometimes when her graphic design isn't making ends meet, but she doesn't have connections." She trailed off, looking at David. Meanwhile a rerun of that interview was playing on the big TV.

"Hey, you're right, David, that girl does look a little like Nessa." Hilda noted. Randall hadn't gotten a good enough look at her to say for sure.

"That would explain why she hasn't been around much." David added. Randall reached out to touch the girl on the screen and found his hand breaching the barrier once again. He let out a small gasp.

"WHAT!?" Hilda yelled.

"How are you doing that?" David added.

"That's so cool!" Ignoring the pair, he began reaching deeper, only to be pushed from behind and fall in entirely.

The three landed hard on what appeared to be a fog filled stage.

"Where are we now?" Hilda asked.

"In the TV, I think." answered Randall.

"How can you be calm about that? I don't even see an exit!"

"Not to interrupt but, I need to pee!" David butted in. Meanwhile Twig began sniffing and walking away from the stage. Randall gestured for his friends to follow the animal, who led them to a small room. The room was filled with destroyed Polaroid pictures, mostly of women with their heads cut out of the pictures. In the center of the room was a noose, gathering dust as it hung from the ceiling. The three were sorting through the pictures until Twig began growling. A humming sound filled the air and soon a colored sphere with a long tongue burst into the room. The four began sprinting for their lives. More of the spheres poured into view as they continued into the fog filled world. One finally caught up and licked Hilda, knocking her out immediately.

"Randall, what do we do?" Randall was frozen in place, and the pair and deerfox were surrounded. As the creatures made their dive at them, time seemed to slow.

"I am thou..." The voice from the previous night filled Randall's perception.

"Thou art I, thou hast opened thy eyes, the time is now!" Randall was suddenly engulfed in a weak blue light, the spheres stopped in their tracks. A single word was suddenly on his lips.

"Persona!" Randall was engulfed in blue flame, and from behind him rose a mechanical humanoid figure, bearing a harp.

"I am Orpheus, master of strings!" Orpheus shot thin strings from his harp, one by one, piercing and reducing the spheres to black goop as Randall pointed at them. David screamed at the scene. One of the spheres landed a hit on Orpheus' head, and Randall recoiled back as if he'd been hit.

"Orpheus!" Randall screamed, and a final string shot at the monster, reducing it to a puddle. Orpheus disappeared, and Randall fell to his knees.

"What did you just do?" Asked David.

"Persona. This power… is mine."

To Be Continued


	2. The True Self

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

2: The True Self

"Congratulations on awakening your power." Margaret said.

"Please take this with you on your journey." Igor gestured to a blue key floating across the train car.

"From this night forward, you will be a guest in our Velvet Room." Margaret flashed a smile at Randall.

"You have a very special power, the Wildcard. Like the number zero, it is full of infinite possibilities." she continued.

"I am very curious to see what you'll do with your new power. We shall travel the path of your destiny alongside you." Igor smiled his toothy smile. The Velvet room faded once again.

4/14

After barely surviving the battle, the trio and Twig the deerfox limped back to the stage where they had entered the TV. Once there, they were greeted by a stack of old TVs, which Randall was able to pull his friends back through, leaving more questions than answers.

"So what did you call that? A Persona?" David asked.

"And I didn't even get to see it!" Hilda added.

"Did you know you could do that?" David asked.

"I just suddenly… knew I could." Randall answered.

"Can you do it in this world?" Hilda asked. Everyone looked at Randall for an answer.

"Persona!" Randall took a pose which belonged in a Japanese anime as his voice echoed throughout Junes. But he just stood there looking foolish, no response to the call for his Persona.

"I think we should leave now." Randall said, still holding his fist in front of him.

"Yep." Hilda and David agreed in unison.

4/15

"We went through hell yesterday." David said to his friend Frida as she joined her friends on the walk to school.

"You won't even believe it! This guy-" Hilda was cut off when an unfamiliar boy interrupted.

"Aren't you Frida?" He asked.

"Who are you?" Frida asked.

"Why don't you come on a date with me?"

"But I have school..." Frida was visibly nervous.

"Are you going, or not!?" He was agitated, Hilda was balling her fists together.

"No." Frida said.

"Screw you, bitch!" The boy stomped off.

"He must not know Frida's never said yes to a date with anyone." David tried to lighten the mood. The four continued into school as rain began to fall.

"Have you ever asked Frida out, David?" Randall asked as the four sat down at their seats.

"Not a chance." Frida answered for him.

"I've got my eyes on someone else, anyway." said David.

"Oh, you mean that Nessa girl?" Randall teased.

"Yeah, but I haven't heard from her since the other day at Junes."

"All students, please report to the auditorium." The announcement cut the conversation off.

"Where'd Frida go?" Randall asked as his remaining friends stood in the auditorium.

"She had to go home. She has to help her parents sometimes, they are both very sick." Hilda explained, looking at the ground.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Randall looked to his side.

"Hey! Shut up, you brats!" Mr. Cory was stamping on the stage.

"The principal has something to say." The man walking up to take Mr. Cory's spot looked incredibly sad.

"I'm afraid I'm here with bad news. This morning, one of our students was found dead. You kids called her Nessa." The auditorium filled with gasps. David looked up in horror and ran out of the auditorium, Hilda shortly after. Randall followed, passing some students.

"I heard she was found the same way as the scout leader, impaled on a TV antenna." he heard in the gossip. Randall found his friends outside the school by a statue of a man killing a Troll. David was staring out into the rainy streets.

"Did you guys watch the Midnight Channel again last night?" He asked, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"Why are you asking about that at a time like this?" Hilda asked in shock.

"Last night I think I saw Nessa on it, and she looked scared." he said.

"You know, when I first heard the rumor, someone told me they saw Raven Leader on it." Everyone gasped at Hilda's revelation.

"Why didn't you mention that!?" David was furious.

"It didn't seem important at the time, and besides, if I told you Trevor told me about it, you wouldn't have done it!" Hilda wasn't going to have David yell at her.

"Guys. There's something else." Randall stopped the yelling.

"Remember the photos in the weird room in the TV, with the heads cut out?" David and Hilda were looking at him now.

"I think they were of that Raven leader woman. I've been thinking about it all day." Silence fell upon the three.

"And I just heard some gossip that her body was left the same way as Nessa's. That can't be a coincidence." Randall said grimly.

"So you think that people who appear on the Midnight Channel… die?" Hilda asked.

"What if we aren't the only people who can go into the TV world?" Randall asked. David immediately pulled them from the school yard all the way to the TV section of Junes.

"We're not going in there again!" Hilda's arguments seemed to be bouncing off of David's ears.

"Fine, you can stay!" David produced a rope.

"Someone needs to hold this rope so we can for sure get back anyway!" David yelled. Hilda sat on the ground and took the rope. David put his hand out to the TV, where it was met with glass.

"What?" He yelled. Randall put his hand out, and it went through.

"Huh, so I guess only I can go freely in and out." Randall said. He took David's hand and they fell in.

"So, what are we going to do now, David?"

"Remember how Twig lead us around here?" David produced the terrified deerfox from his sweater.

"Hilda is going to be pissed." Randall said. David produced something from his pocket.

"What's that?"

"Nessa gave me this guitar pick after one of her shows. I carry it around with me but, maybe it smells a little like her?" He held the object up to the deerfox. Twig suddenly put his nose down and took off into the fog. David grabbed Randall's hand and pulled him to a sprint to catch up to the animal.

They caught up with him at what appeared to be a house.

"I think this is Nessa's house." David said.

"That Nessa girl is nothing but trouble." The boys were suddenly surrounded by voices.

"I hear she does drugs in the Huldrawood with her friends."

"She'll never amount to anything."

"Who's saying this nonsense?" David sprinted into the house. When Randall followed, David appeared to have suddenly stopped.

"I could never go out with David." A girl's voice filled the air now.

"I don't want to hurt him, but he's just so annoying."

"N-Nessa?" David was shuddering.

"Honestly, David is just a loser." Nessa's voice took him to his knees.

"Hey!" A new voice filled the air. It was sinister, but sounded a little like David. A figure stepped into the light.

"Why are you upset? You know she's right. You mess up everything you do, and you only have Hilda and Frida. That Nessa girl felt so bad she pretended to like you!"

"Who the hell are you!" David was up and angry now.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm you!" The figure stepped into full view. He looked exactly like David.

"Look at you now, dragging poor Twig into this. Hilda will probably hate you too, now!" Other David stood over David.

"I am a shadow, the true self! The true you!" Shadow David said. David came to his feet.

"No! You're not me!" In that instant Shadow David burst into a red aura and grew. He transformed into a towering woman with evil eyes, wielding two swords. Shadow David swung down, Randall pushed David clear of the blow, but knocked him out in the process. Randall met eyes with the Shadow.

"Persona!" Orpheus erupted from Randall, taking shots at the Shadow.

"What do you see in him as a friend?" The shadow asked Randall.

"He's nothing without Hilda and Frida!" Orpheus landed a blow on the Shadow's face. Randall walked over to David, now conscious and crying on the ground.

"David, you were the one who was brave enough to come here, not Hilda. Doesn't that prove he's wrong about you?" Randall stuck out a hand as Orpheus pinned down the Shadow.

"I suppose I knew Nessa didn't like me that way… and I'm trying to be my best me. Maybe he's right, I do need Hilda and Frida, but they are and will always be my friends. So I guess deep down, he is me." David gestured at the towering Shadow. Suddenly, it froze, and began to look like static was running through its body.

"Orpheus, now!" Randall yelled. Strings pierced the shadow and it exploded into static particles, leaving only the image of David once again. David went up to his Shadow.

"You are a part of me, and I'm a part of you." As David spoke a blue aura surrounded him, and a blue card floated up to him, dissolving in front of him.

"What is this?" David asked.

"I think it's your… Persona." Randall said, kneeling next to his friend.

The pair climbed out of the large TV, Twig in tow, who sprinted over to Hilda, who was crying on the floor, holding a broken rope. After everything the pair didn't notice their ropes were broken.

"How could you do this!?" Hilda was sobbing.

"I thought you were dead! And you stole Twig!" She had her fists balled up now. She grabbed the deerfox and ran.

"It might be a while before we can make this up to her." Randall put his hand on David's shoulder.

"You know, if Nessa was in there, she could have been attacked by her own Shadow like I just was." The boys were now walking home through the rain, David still coming to terms with what happened.

"But we know you can't go in unless you have a Persona, or someone with a Persona takes you." Randall added.

"She would've been able to fight her shadow if she had that power… so that means..."

"There's another Persona user, using their power to force people into TVs." Randall completed David's grim sentence.

"I can't just ignore that. I know we just met, but... will you help me find out who's doing this, Randall?" David looked Randall in the eyes.

"Of course." Randall responded.

"With you and me, I think we have a chance to figure this out." David shook Randall's hand, and went his separate way from Randall.

Randall looked up in time to finally see the sun peek through the rain clouds.

To Be Continued


	3. The Nightmare Begins

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

3: The Nightmare Begins

4/16

"Guys!" David and Randall turned to see Hilda and Twig in an all out sprint towards them.

"Have you seen Frida?!" she asked, sliding slightly past the table the boys were at.

"No, not since before the assembly." Randall responded calmly.

"Have you… watched the Midnight Channel?" she asked.

"We were talking about that a few minutes ago, we're not sure who the girl-"

"It's Frida." Hilda interrupted.

"She looked younger, but I recognized her hair, and she was wearing a Sparrow Scouts uniform." The boys were on the edge of their seats.

"Does that mean she's in the TV?" David asked.

"If what we've come up with is right, then yes." Randall added. While they were talking, someone approached them.

"Hilda, are you okay?" Frida asked.

"FRIDA!" Hilda jumped up and hugged her friend.

"You didn't answer my calls and I couldn't find you for days! Why?" Hilda was on the verge of tears.

"My parents needed me around the house? But I'm free now. Did you think I died?" Frida was confused.

"Not quite." remarked Randall, as Hilda parted ways to catch up with Frida.

"So if that wasn't Frida on the Midnight Channel, then who?" David asked.

"No idea."

"Ugh, I hate to say it, but we may need to visit an informant."

"David, why did you say that so weird?"

"Because I hate what we are about to do."

"And that is?"

The boys arrived at the sewer entrance around two.

"So you say there's a Rat King in here? That can talk?" Randall was very concerned as they walked through the gray water filled tunnels.

"Yes, and it trades secrets. Also, unrelated, but if you hear water rushing, hold your breath. I've been down here like five times and somehow Hilda always picks the wrong time to do this." Randall's eyes went wide. Fortunately it seemed Hilda was the one with bad luck, as the system flush Randall had been ready for never came.

"Rat King!" David's voice echoed and soon squeaks filled the room as a ball of rats with red eyes rolled into the room.

"Back again, we see!" the Rat King had multiple voices, all talking in unison. Randall was incredibly uneasy.

"You brought someone new!" The Rats said.

"Rat King, do you know anything about the Midnight Channel?" David asked.

"Mmmm, perhaps we do! For a secret!"

"Alright, let's just-"

"No! From the new boy!" The Rats were staring at Randall.

"Well, Randall, good luck buddy!" David gave his friend a nudge towards the rats. Randall knelt down to the rats and whispered the first secret that came to his mind.

"Really!? You don't seem like the type! I know someone who will love to trade this!" The rats were giggling.

"Hey, Midnight Channel." David reminded them from behind.

"You're no fun, David! Okay, there was a boy here the other day claiming he could predict who showed up next on the Midnight Channel. His name is Kevin." The rats made a final scoff at David before retreating.

"I don't know anyone in town by that name, Randall." David had his hand on his chin as if he were thinking.

"If our logic is right, someone ends up on the Midnight Channel, and then they die shortly after, so someone who could predict that has to be involved."

"We should watch again tonight, it's all we can do." Randall began walking out of the sewer.

"Oh, hey, Randall, by the way, I think I know who the Rat King is going to trade your secret to."

"Oh? Really?"

"Wear a leather belt over yourself while you sleep tonight."

"I'm sorry, what?" Randall stopped.

4/17

"Hey, I'm Frida! And tonight, I'm going to jump my motorcycle over the Trolberg Wall!" Frida stood next to a motorcycle. She was wearing a biker's jacket and Hilda's beret for some reason. Just as quickly as it had started, the Midnight Channel vanished, and biker Frida with it. Randall decided there was nothing he could do until he saw David again. He decided to sleep, but not before following David's advice about the belt.

Randall's eyes opened and he was face to face with her. A girl about his age, with glowing green eyes. He was paralyzed with fear.

"Who told you about the belt thing!? Was it that bitch, Hilda?" The girl was nearly foaming at the mouth.

"It's bad enough she got everyone calling me "Twintail", now she's taking away my scares!" Randall was able to move again. He pushed her off of him. She immediately began to stare into his soul.

"You know what I did to the last kid that hit me? Let's just say it wasn't PG." Randall regretted every decision he ever made up to this point.

"Say something!"

"S-something?" Randall barely sputtered out. The girl looked at him before turning into a green wisp and vanishing. What was she?

"Welcome to the Velvet Room." Igor's voice forced Randall's eyes to focus again. No normal sleep for him tonight.

"We called you here to congratulate you on establishing your first bonds!" Margaret clapped her hands together in joy.

"What's a bond have to do with Persona?" Randall asked.

"With every person you establish a bond with, your Persona ability will grow. You've established two new Arcana in the last day alone! The Strength Arcana and the Fortune Arcana." Margaret opened her book, revealing two blue tarot cards, Strength depicting David, and Fortune depicting the Rat King.

"Continue building your bonds, and we'll see you soon." As Igor spoke the Velvet Room faded.

Morning couldn't have come soon enough for Randall. He got dressed and headed downstairs.

"Going out?" his cousin's voice came from behind him. She was watching TV.

"Dad left. He said he'd be out late, but don't worry! I'll be fine." Randall stared at the little girl.

"Go have fun!" She turned back to the TV. Randall wondered if she had any friends.

David was late getting to Junes, Randall had already gone through two smoothies and was thinking about getting a third.

"Randall, check it out!" David was running up to him, wielding a sword.

"Why did you bring a sword to Junes?"

"We can bring it to the TV world! Hang on, I got you one, too!" David produced a sword from somewhere behind his back.

"Was that in your pants?" Randall was covering his face in embarrassment.

"Boys, I'm going to need you to come with me." A police officer had appeared behind them. Randall slammed his fist on the table.

They were in police custody for about 45 minutes before a detective came to release them.

"You're lucky that Detective Elison knew who you guys were, or you'd have been here all day. Please don't go swinging swords around in public. Especially while there are two unsolved murders going on."

"Sorry, officer." Randall said.

"Detective, actually. Detective Leif."

"Hey!" Hilda's voice echoed down the hall.

"Why'd you get arrested, guys?"

"Someone thought it'd be a good idea to dual wield swords at Junes." Randall side eyed David.

"Well, I needed to talk to you. Frida is missing, for real this time!"

"Oh, yeah, we know. Her parents called a bit ago, do you guys know her?" The detective whipped out a notepad.

"Yeah, she's our friend..." Hilda trailed off.

"Has anything been unusual with her lately?" Everyone looked around before David spoke.

"No."

As they left the police station, Hilda spoke up.

"We're going into the TV to find her."

"Agreed," Randall said.

"And I thought we'd need someone who's familiar with the occult to come with us."

"You brought the librarian?" David asked.

"No, dummy, I brought Alfur!" Hilda reached out an open hand.

"Who's Alfur?" Randall asked.

"Oh right, the paperwork!" Hilda reached and grabbed a tiny stack of papers, which took about ten minutes to fill out.

"Ta-da!" A little creature was now visible on Hilda's hand.

"I'm Alfur!"

"He's the most adorable thing I've ever seen." Randall reached out a hand for Alfur to climb up.

"Now, unfortunately, I can't seem to find much about an alternate world like Hilda has mentioned, so I'd like to go there and see."

Everyone landed on the stage with a thump.

"That's always going to hurt, isn't it?" David asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Randall was rubbing his back.

"Alright, Twig!" Hilda produced some garment and Twig began heading away from the landing area.

"What have you got there, Hilda?" David asked.

"It's Frida's hoodie. She forgot it at my house a while back." The three were talking before Alfur appeared from Hilda's hair.

"Guys, look!" The fog was parting to reveal a medieval castle. Twig had stopped and was growling.

"Is Frida in there, boy?" The deerfox almost seemed to nod at his owner.

"Alright, guys, I'm going in!" Hilda took off with Alfur and Twig in tow before David and Randall could stop her. As they followed her in, four shadow monsters appeared between her and the boys.

"She didn't even see them!" Randall said in shock.

"She's always running into danger, let's just deal with these." David locked eyes with his friend.

"Persona!" They both erupted into blue flames as their Personas sprang forth.

"Randall! Have Orpheus cover Valkyrie!" David's Persona sprang forward on her horse, fighting the monsters face to face. Orpheus' strings prevented the others from interrupting as Valkyrie pulverized them one by one. Before they knew it, the boys were coming to a large ornate door, but they weren't ready for what would lay on the other side.

"This can't be real!" Hilda sounded scared.

"Hilda! What's going on?" David asked while running up to her.

"Look." She pointed to the ground where Alfur stood, face to face with his own Shadow.

"There's no paperwork for this Alfur!" Shadow Alfur said.

"The truth is, I hate paperwork, and I only came to Trolberg with Hilda to get away!"

"That's not true! I love Hilda! You are a liar!" Alfur screamed.

"But I am you." the little elf with yellow eyes smiled.

"You are most definitely, not… me!" An aura erupted, blasting Alfur back from his Shadow like a rag doll. Hilda went to scoop him up but other shadows appeared in between them, leaving Alfur to fend for himself. David and Randall summoned their Personas and David swooped in to protect Hilda. Alfur's shadow transformed into a large being covered in a cloak.

"I don't need you anymore, Hilda, I never did!" Lasers began shooting from the shadow, forcing Valkyrie to take the hits for Hilda, and forcing David to the floor in pain as his Persona weakened.

"Alfur! Be smart! Only you know the real you!" Hilda yelled from her cover behind David. Orpheus was beginning to falter as Alfur stood up and walked the gauntlet of lasers.

"Maybe, some of that is true. I did just leave home to get away from the monotony. But that's also why I love Hilda. Every day is different with her. So maybe you are a voice in my head, but that doesn't mean I'm not Hilda's friend. I guess, you are me." Alfur finished his sentence, looking the shadow in the eyes. Suddenly, Randall felt a new name on his tongue.

"Kusi Mitama!" Orpheus suddenly returned to Randall and a new Persona, a sort of teardrop with a face, came forth.

"End it!" a burst of wind sprung forth from Kusi Mitama and pierced the weakened Shadow, returning it to its original form.

"Why do you get two personas?" David was looking at Randall from the spot where he'd been protecting Hilda. Alfur now had a blue flame in his hand. Hilda came up behind him.

"Is this my-"

"Persona." Randall finished.

"Hilda! I have a Persona!" Alfur jumped up onto his friend.

To Be Continued


	4. Secrets & Desires

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

4: Secrets and Desires

4/18

"Persona!" Alfur's tiny voice rang through the stage. Alfur's Persona was blue and metallic, featuring planetarium projectors on it's head.

"What can it do?" Hilda asked.

"Astria, show us your stuff!" The Persona didn't move.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out, little buddy!" Randall lightly pat Alfur on his back.

Refreshed from the previous day, Randall and David tore through the bottom of Frida's castle, but as they passed the room Alfur had his awakening in, the lights went dark. Suddenly the sound of a motor filled the room, and a motorcycle shot up the stairs behind them.

"Hey! You guys better hurry if you wanna see my big stunt!" Biker Frida shot ahead and out of sight.

"From what I've gathered, that was Frida's other self, correct?" Alfur asked.

"Most likely." Randall answered. As the group entered a spiral staircase, they began hearing Frida's voice.

"I wish I were cool like Hilda!"

"I wish I was brave like Hilda!"

"Does Frida really think of me this way?" Hilda asked.

"She never seemed like the type, honestly." David answered. They rounded the last few stairs.

"Hilda!" Frida was laying on the floor on the other side of a large empty room.

"Oh, it's Hilda! My favorite adventurer!" Shadow Frida stared menacingly at Hilda.

"Hilda is here to save us! Again. Isn't that right?"

"Yes!" Hilda announced.

"Too bad she can't! Hilda could never set me free. I realized this a few years ago. I don't need her." Shadow Frida said mockingly.

"I don't need anyone!" Shadow Frida yelled.

"But I like my friends!" Frida was clearly weak.

"They aren't our friends, they're just losers."

"No!" Frida yelled.

"What do you mean 'no'? You know it's true! Because I'm you!"

"NO! You are not me!" Shadow Frida erupted into flame in front of the group. A figure erupted from the flame like a Phoenix.

"Persona!" The boys got their Persona's out just in time to protect Hilda, but both were blown back.

"Randall! Call Orpheus back, you have a better Persona!" Alfur called out, shielded by Astria.

"Change!" Suddenly Randall flashed to the Velvet room. An image of Alfur showed in Margaret's book.

"You've successfully forged a new bond, the Star Arcana." Margaret smiled at him and closed the book.

"Ganesha!" Randall's new Persona took Orpheus' place, and began gaining ground through Shadow Frida's fire. David was hunched over with Hilda now, Valkyrie barely holding on. Randall was walking through the flames slowly but surely. He approached Frida.

"I can see it now. You aren't jealous of Hilda, you're envious."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"You want her freedom to adventure."

"That would mean I want to ignore my sick parents and my studies! I couldn't!"

"Of course not, this..." Randall gestured to the other Frida, "...is just a single intrusive thought."

"So, in a way, she is me?" Frida was dubious. Suddenly Ganesha was blown back, taking Randall with it. He got up from the ground.

"She doesn't define you, Frida!" He went down and Ganesha disintegrated. Shadow Frida took aim at David and Hilda.

"Wait!" Frida stood up.

"I don't like it, but you are me." Shadow Frida began showing static.

"You're going to accept me?!" It asked.

"Yes. Accepting you doesn't define me. I wish I didn't need someone to tell me that."

"Valkyrie!" David's Persona used the last of its strength to run Shadow Frida through, reducing her to dust. A small card shaped object fell to Frida's hands.

"Is this-?"

"Persona." Randall grunted out, still on the ground.

The five and Alfur now sat in the cafe at Junes.

"So you really don't remember how you got in the TV World?" David asked.

"I told you, the last thing I remembered was someone knocking on my door." Frida said, looking ashamed about not remembering more. Suddenly Randall caught a glimpse of something bright and green.

"I'll be back, David." he said getting up. He walked across the street into an alley.

"I know you're here." he said.

"I'm not even here for you." Twin Tail returned to her human form.

"I'm just trying to find someone new to give nightmares!"

"Why on Earth do you need to do that?" he asked.

"Why should I tell you?"

"Clearly, your weakness is leather belts," Randall flashed the belt he'd added to his day to day outfit.

"Be a shame if Hilda told more people that."

"That bitch!" Twintail's eyes lit up green.

"We need it to live."

"Nightmares?" Randall asked. "And we?"

"Fear, and yes, Trolberg has over a dozen Marra." Twintail was in a very collected state of anger.

"Scared, Randall?" She raised her arms menacingly.

"No." he responded smugly, albeit he was bluffing.

"You should see what we can do in dreams, then."

"Show me."

"What?" She'd never been so confused.

"Show me what you think I should be scared of. Or are you afraid?" Twintail began dragging him out of the alley by the arm. Randall was afraid, but he was also curious. He just hoped he wouldn't regret it.

The sun set by the time Randall and Twintail reached the Huldrawood. Save for a faint green glow that had been steadily growing in front of them. Suddenly, she threw him into a brightly lit clearing, his arm sweaty where the Marra had held him for the last hour.

"Who's this?" A voice asked. Randall opened his eyes to see at least a dozen green pairs of eyes staring him down.

"He says we aren't scary enough." Twintail flashed her teeth.

"Not scary, huh?" A girl with dark hair and a green sweater approached. She put one hand on his chest, pinning him down.

"I'll make you scared." she whispered directly in front of his face.

The Marra forced him to listen as they told stories of nightmares they'd given, all while absorbing the light of their green campfire. Eventually Twintail sent him towards home, but something bothered him the entire way. He quietly entered his room, changing into his pajamas and setting up his belt.

"Hi." The voice came from across the room. Randall jumped. He turned over to see the dark haired Marra's head sticking out of his closet.

"How long have you been there?" He asked.

"Long enough to watch you change." she smiled a toothy smile.

"I'm still not afraid of you!" Randall said.

"Then prove it! Take the belt off." Randall looked down at the belt and unclasped it. The Marra now floated above him.

"Goodnight, Randall. Oh, and call me, Euryale." Randall closed his eyes.

To Be Continued


	5. Such is The Life of an Adventurer

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

5: Such Is The Life Of An Adventurer

4/19

"Morning, guys!" Hilda came into the classroom.

"No, too tired." David had his head on his desk.

"Where's Frida?" Randall asked

"She's taking a couple days to recoup, but she says she's fine."

"Hey, Randall!" Alfur popped out of Hilda's hair.

"Alfur. That reminds me. How did you know I had a better Persona for fighting Frida's Shadow last night?"

"I just sensed it, if that makes sense."

"Hey, Randall, can we do something in a couple days?" Hilda asked.

"Sure. What is it, though?"

"A surprise!"

Randall's school day passed without much activity. His uncle was not home when he returned, so he watched cartoons with cousin Hilda until about 6 when his door began creaking open.

"Dad's home!" Hilda ran to the door, but retreated quickly and hid behind Randall.

"Hey!" Detective Leif came around the corner.

"We both got off at the same time today, so I brought him with me for dinner." Randall's uncle said from behind him.

"It's okay, Hilda, I'm your dad's protege." he flashed a smile.

Randall's uncle set out a table's worth of frozen dinners.

"So, it's weird how that Frida girl showed up out of nowhere, and says she doesn't remember anything, right?"

"Shut up about police business in front of the kids, rookie." Uncle Elison noted.

"That being said, with that case closed, I might get some time off coming up." Hilda's eyes suddenly were full of life.

"Let's have a picnic!" she said.

"That would be nice, with all the freezer food we've been eating. Why don't you cook, Randall?"

"Me? Cook? Are you sure?" Randall did not consider himself a cook.

"Yay! Randall's cooking!" Hilda had sealed his fate.

"And we can have the picnic at Junes!" She was standing in excitement.

4/21

"So we're going outside the wall?" Randall asked.

"Yeah! It'll be an adventure!" Hilda smiled at him as they walked.

"Hey, Randall?"

"Yeah?"

"Why have you looked so tired lately?" He couldn't really admit he was getting nightmares from Euryale every night, on purpose.

"Insomnia." he responded.

"That sucks." Hilda responded

"Anyway, are you ready for the first surprise?"

"There's more than one, now? Randall responded as Hilda whistled. A small black bird hopped onto her head.

"Hey."

"Did that bird just talk?!" Randall asked in shock.

"This is Raven, Randall." Hilda was always full of surprises, he realized.

"Hi." Randall said.

"Why can you talk?"

"Well, I'm actually a Thunderbird! People around here call me the Great Raven. You might have heard of me."

"Like the bird they have statues of at the gate?" Randall asked.

"Yup! They have a whole festival for me every year!"

"You're so… small, though." Randall said. Hilda ducked them into an alley.

"You're clear, Raven." she said. The bird suddenly erupted in light and thunder crashed, then before Randall was the largest bird he'd ever seen.

"Believe me now, Randall?" The bird asked.

"...Yes. We're riding him, aren't we?" Randall asked Hilda. She nodded with a smile. Randall rode behind Hilda, not quite sure where to hold the Raven. Hilda was handling this much better than him. She was able to sit up and was even watching. Randall was afraid to look at anything but Hilda and the Raven's back. He watched Hilda's red sweater flutter in the wind to take his mind off of how close certain death was.

"Randall, you can look now, we're landing!" The Raven was now descending, and landed with a thump, causing the terrified Randall to slide off onto the grass.

"Come on!" Hilda was sitting on a rock with her back against a tree, patting a spot directly next to her for Randall to sit. He got up and walked over, there wasn't much space on the rock.

"Are you sure you want to sit that close?" He asked. Hilda grabbed his arm and pulled him down. He was in full contact with Hilda from shoulder to hip. He had his head down in embarrassment.

"Don't be weird, Randall, just look up from your lap for a minute." Randall looked away from the ground and took in the view, they were on a hill, and one could see all of Trolberg.

"Wow! This is incredible, Hilda!"

"I have come here to draw since I was a kid." She handed Randall a sketchpad. It was full of well drawn pictures of the city, mountains, Giants, Trolls, as well as Twig and Frida. He handed it back.

"I was under the impression you weren't the type to chill out." Randall stated.

"If David gave you your impression of me, I understand. But did he tell you he used to be afraid of everything?"

"I think he left that bit out." Hilda laughed, Randall joined in.

"Why is the only picture of a person in your book Frida?" Randall asked.

"That's from a few months ago. I just got the inspiration to draw her, I guess." A moment of silence passed.

"It's weird to think she envies me. She's always been so adamant about me not putting myself in danger, and yet some part of her also wants to partake in it."

"People can be very complex, I suppose. We all have parts of ourselves we hide." Another moment of silence passed.

"Hey, Randall, can I trust you?" Hilda put her sketchpad down suddenly.

"Sure." he said calmly.

"I'm gay." she said under her breath.

"Alright." Randall said calmly.

"Just, alright?" she asked. "I've never told someone that before. I just expected more of a reaction."

"I mean, I get that. I've never met another person my age who is gay, but it doesn't bother me."

"This actually feels really underwhelming. I've never met someone like that either and I've read all these bad things about being gay online… thanks for being cool, Randall." She leaned into a hug.

"Hey, you said 'another' earlier, like you know another gay person, or age?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah… someone from back home." Randall answered.

"Oh. Well, here, I drew you something!" Hilda stuck the book back in Randall's lap. It had a picture of them sitting on the rock together, hugging. It was a bit hastily drawn. The moment didn't last long, as suddenly a roar was heard. The pair jumped up.

"Oh, crap, it's sundown!" Hilda yelled.

"Quick, call Raven!" Randall announced. Hilda whistled.

"It's gonna be a minute, I told him to wait a bit away." A twig snapped behind them. They turned to see the figure of a Troll standing behind them. Randall screamed and ran for his life. He got halfway down the hill before he noticed Hilda wasn't with him. He turned back to see Hilda in the hand of the Troll, back where they had been sitting. He turned around and ran uphill.

"Hilda!" He screamed as he came up on the Troll, fists raised.

"Randall, wait!" Hilda yelled. Randall stopped.

"The Troll isn't hurting me." Randall looked closer and realized the Troll was in fact holding Hilda as if she were a baby.

"He's just saying hi."

"What do you mean he's just saying hi? It's a Troll, Hilda!" Randall rebuked. The Troll set Hilda down.

"They aren't mindless like they say in the history books. Just say hi, Randall." Randall looked at the Troll. He stuck out a shaky finger towards the Troll. To his shock the Troll did the same, and their fingers touched.

"Hey, Helga!" The Raven came down from the air.

"Oh, hey, is that David's Troll?" he asked.

"David's troll?" Randall asked.

"David accidentally added this Troll to his rock collection when it was a baby about six years ago. I reunited it with its mother."

"You had an odd childhood." Randall said, getting on the bird.

"Such is the life of an adventurer." said Hilda.

To Be Continued


	6. The Stake Out

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

6: The Stake Out

"Oh!" Margaret seemed caught off guard.

"I wasn't expecting you. It seems the master is away." Igor was indeed not in his usual spot on the train.

"Well, welcome to the Velvet Room! I see you spent some time forging a new bond, the Magician Arcana." Some imagery of Hilda flashed in Margaret's book. "Unfortunately, you'll have to come back when the master is in if you have any other requests. Unless, maybe, you just like seeing me?"

5/3

Randall shot awake and headed downstairs. Hilda was watching the news with her father.

"Anything interesting?" Randall asked.

"Just this Trevor kid. He got caught messing with one of the Great Raven statues again." He sounded annoyed. Randall glanced at the TV to see a boy with black hair, wearing all black to match. He certainly looked the part of a delinquent.

Suddenly, the phone rang. Randall's uncle picked it up, and soon enough, he was off to work.

"Hey, Randall!" His voice came from outside after he left. Randall met him outside the door.

"So, one of our detectives got sick and I have to fill in. I might not be able to have the 4th and 5th off like I said. Can you watch Hilda for me?" Randall nodded at his uncle. When he walked back in, he looked at his cousin, with a smile on her face. He felt awful for her. Suddenly a knock came from the door.

"Randall! You want to hang out today?" Hilda was at his door with an infectious smile.

"I'm sorry, I'm babysitting my cousin." Randall gestured to Hilda, who was peeking out from around a corner nervously.

"Oh, well, why don't you come with us?" Hilda said.

"I… is that okay?" His cousin stammered.

"Yeah, it'll be fun!" Randall assured.

"Okay!" She came out to the door. "What's your name? Mine's Hilda!"

"What?! No way, my name is Hilda, too! You're like a little me!" Randall's cousin now had the same infectious smile as Hilda.

"Alright, here's everyone's food!" David came up to the table, setting food out for Randall, Hilda, Frida, Little Hilda, Alfur, and Twig, then finally himself. "Why did you guys want to eat at Junes? The food isn't even that good."

"And we certainly could have come up with something better for Little Hilda to do." Frida added.

"But I love Junes!" Little Hilda began eating her food. "Who's the tiny plate for?" She pointed at Alfur's food.

"Oh, yeah. Alfur, do you have the paperwork?" David asked. The Elf produced the stack of tiny papers from who knows where, and Hilda helped Little Hilda sign them.

"Hi!" Alfur waved.

"Oh my gosh, I love him! He's so adorable!" Little Hilda picked up the elf and held him above her head.

"Anyway, we're supposed to have a picnic soon!" Little Hilda said.

"Were you going to make a picnic?" David asked her.

"No, he is!" She pointed at Randall.

"You were going to make a picnic for the whole family?" Frida asked.

"Yeah, for fun." he responds.

"You're like a big brother!" Hilda said.

"Big bro!" Little Hilda said.

"Plus, if you can make a picnic, you are already a better cook than Hilda and David." Frida said sarcastically.

"Hey!" Hilda and David said in unison.

"What makes you think I can't cook?" David said. "You know what? It's a cook-off, between you and me!" David stood up and pointed at Frida.

"Wait, am I in, too?" Hilda asks.

"Yes! And Randall will be the impartial judge!" David never looked more serious than this moment.

"Well, Little Hilda, I'm a pretty good cook. Might even be better than your mom." Randall choked at Frida's words.

"That's probably true. I don't have a mom. She died in an accident." Little Hilda said. Everyone fell silent for a second.

"I didn't know, sorry." Frida said.

"It's okay! I'm doing fine. I have Daddy and Big Bro! Plus, I got to visit Junes today, and it's really fun!" Little Hilda smiled, relieving the tension in the air.

"Anytime you need someone to hang out with, just ask us, okay?" Hilda was leaning on the table as she talked to Little Hilda. Randall gave a big smile at his friends and cousin.

5/5

"I'm back!" Randall's uncle came through the door, laden with frozen dinners. He placed them on the table and slouched on the couch.

"I'm sorry, Hilda. I know I said I'd spend time with you." he groaned.

"It's okay, Big Bro played with me all day!" she said.

"Really? Thanks, Randall." he said.

"No problem, it was fun." Randall said as he came to the table.

"What's in the bag, daddy?" Hilda pointed to a Junes bag her father had brought in.

"Oh, it's a gift!" He produced a t-shirt.

"Look! It has a funny picture on it!" Hilda took the shirt with glee.

"To be fair I got you one too." Randall took the bag from his uncle.

"O… oh, swim trunks..." Randall was now the proud owner of an ugly pair of red swim trunks.

"I thought you would like red, since you only ever wear those two red shirts." his uncle said. He was technically right. Randall's wardrobe was almost entirely red shirts and jeans.

"Hey, come on, let's eat together!" Little Hilda beckoned them both over.

5/6

"I can't believe David asked us all to come here to cram for school and fell asleep." Hilda said. David was asleep drooling on his textbook at the Junes table.

"You know what's really been weird? Ever since you guys rescued me, there hasn't been an incident of any kind." Frida said.

"That's exactly what I was thinking!" David jumped up, scaring Hilda.

"It's like you just came back from the dead!" said Hilda angrily.

"He looks good for dead." Randall added.

"So, listen, The first victim was Raven Leader, then Nessa, and then Frida. I don't think the victims were chosen randomly." David said.

"So what connects me to Nessa and Raven Leader?" Frida asks.

"It's not the most concrete theory. But Nessa is linked to Raven Leader because she found the body, and Raven Leader is linked to you through Sparrow Scouts. So, in theory, any girl associated with Raven Leader could be targeted." David said.

"But what's the motive?" Randall asked.

"I have no idea, and all I remember from that night is the doorbell ringing, sorry." Frida said.

"Plus how does the Midnight Channel factor into this?" Randall added.

"What if it's a warning?" Frida asked.

"We should always watch the Midnight Channel if that's the case." Randall said.

"Alright. Now that that's settled, I'm going home!" David got up and left.

5/12

Everyone had just finished handing in their last midterms. Hilda and David looked dead on their feet, and Frida was as confident looking as ever.

Randall was eating dinner with his family when the news came on. It was a video of a kid in all black screaming at a newscaster.

"Is that...?" Randall trailed off

"Trevor again. He gets in a lot of fights." Uncle Elison said.

5/16

Randall drew his blinds as the Midnight Channel came on, depicting a male figure.

"Welcome to the meeting of the special investigation unit for the Trolberg serial murders!" David was standing over everyone at the food court table.

"That's really long. And is this supposed to be our headquarters? Hilda asked.

"Moving on. About the guy on the Midnight Channel-" Randall started before being interrupted.

"It's Trevor." Hilda said.

"That really wrecks all my theories." David said.

"He's just a delinquent, he has nothing to do with Raven Leader." Frida noted.

"He was always like this. Back when we were kids he tried to make me throw rocks at birds, and he gave the Great Raven amnesia." Hilda said.

"Sounds like a nice guy." Randall said.

"We still need to go visit him. If our theory about the Midnight Channel and the murders is right… he's next." David said.

As the group approached Trevor's house, Detective Leif was exiting.

"Thanks for all your help!" He said, closing the door. He gave the kids a nod as he passed.

"Great. What do you want, Hilda?" Trevor's mom looked annoyed to see her.

"We're looking for Trevor." she said.

"Well, he's not home." Trevor's mom closed the door. As they left, Hilda suddenly stopped.

"He's over there!" She pointed to where Trevor was loitering near the river.

"I'm going to talk to him." Randall said. "He doesn't know me, right?" Randall walked over.

"Hey, you're Trevor, right?" Randall asked.

"Yeah, who are you?!" Trevor seemed annoyed.

"I'm Randall. I saw you on the news and you just seem... intriguing." Randall said.

"What do you mean, intriguing? Are you hitting on me or something? Get bent." Trevor turned away. Randall walked back to his friends.

"Hey! What are you three doing here?! Get lost!" Trevor had seen Hilda and crew. The group collectively ran for their lives.

"Alright, that was close." Hilda said, out of breath, as the group stopped at the bell tower.

"New plan, let's stake out his house." David said.

"Yeah, the killer has to come to him, right?" said Hilda

"We'll need a way to stay in contact." Randall said.

"I might have an idea! I'll see you all tonight." With that, David left.

Randall, Hilda and Frida were watching Trevor's house as the sun set. Trevor emerged and began walking off into the night.

"Crap. We need to follow him." Hilda said.

"Someone should also stay here." Randall said.

"And we can keep in touch with these!" David showed up behind them with an assorted bag of walkie talkies.

"We're going to use walkie talkies?" Randall said.

"These are CB radios, with much larger range than a toy." David bragged.

"Okay, sure. Me and Frida will stay, you and Hilda go." Randall instructed.

"Frida, are you okay?" Randall asked. The girl was clearly lost in thought.

"Honestly, I'm afraid of seeing the killer again." Frida said.

"It'll be okay. He probably won't even show up with Trevor gone."

"There's something else, Randall. This might sound dumb, but I've never been alone with a guy my age before." Frida said.

"That surprises me. You seem so outgoing, and there's David." Randall said.

"Well, David is always with Hilda, and Hilda has been really enjoying hanging out with you guys."

"Well, Hilda is special." Randall says.

"So are you, Randall." Frida says.

"You think so?" he asks.

"Well, yeah, you're the reason we're all here doing this investigation, and why I'm alive." Frida said. Suddenly the CB goes live.

"David to Hilda, I have the target in sight, over."

"He's 200 meters in front of me, over." Hilda responds.

"Hey, Hilda, why are we using these if we're right next to each other?" David goes dead there.

"Those two are certainly…. Something." Randall said.

"Yeah, they might not be the brightest, but they are both good people." Frida laughs with Randall.

"Ugh, guys, I'm hungry." Hilda says.

"What do you think you two are doing?" A voice suddenly says from Hilda's CB.

"Uhhh... nothing, Trevor!" David says, Hilda still holding her button down. "Just an ordinary couple, doing couple stuff!" Frida facepalmed.

"Yeah, we weren't spying on you or anything!" Hilda said. Suddenly their line went dead after some ruckus.

"We need to save them now, don't we?" Randall asked.

"Yeah." Frida said, annoyed. They ran and saw the pair running from Trevor.

"Hey, Trevor!" Randall yelled. He turned to them and began running.

"Now what?" Frida said.

"We run." Randall took off with Frida behind. The ran into David and Hilda a few turns later, and soon the four were running.

It took almost half an hour for the four to lose Trevor.

"Alright, I'm done with this." said David, out of breath.

"But what will happen to Trevor?" Frida said.

"He'll be fine on his own." David said.

"We should still keep an eye on him." Randall suggested.

"Okay. But I'm done for today." David began walking off as a scooter came in front of them and stopped.

"I have a pizza for Hilda?" The driver said.

"What? How?" David asked.

"I told you I was hungry earlier." she said, paying for the food.

"That just leaves more questions." David said, rubbing his head.

To Be Continued


	7. Thank You, Randall

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

7: Thank You, Randall

5/18

"Hi, I'm Trevor! Welcome to my knitting corner!" Trevor was on the TV, knitting in a chair.

"Now, follow me for something very special and very pretty!" Trevor skipped into the static of the Midnight Channel. Randall clicked on his radio as the TV turned back to black.

"Uhhh..." Randall was cut off.

"What was that?!" David asked over the phone.

"Something. I'm definitely gonna tape the next one." Randall said.

"So we really went through a television..." Frida was admiring the stage.

"Oh, yeah. This is the first time you've done that by your own free will." Hilda said.

"Okay, guys, bad news. Twig can't find a trail." Hilda continued.

"Cruddlesticks, what are we going to do, then?" David asked as the group returned to Junes.

"I'm sorry, he hasn't come home since yesterday." Trevor's mother slowly closed the door on the group.

"Oh, so that big guy isn't here?" A kid appeared behind them.

"He made me this little toy and I need him to fix it!" The kid handed them a small rabbit toy, missing a leg.

"Did Trevor make that?" Hilda asked.

"Yeah!" The kid said.

"Can I borrow that? We'll bring it right back, and fixed." Randall took the toy.

"What are you doing, Randall?" David said.

"This will smell more like him than anything we've tried." Randall said.

Back in the TV, Twig suddenly sat down in the middle of a path.

"We're not at Trevor yet, are we?" David asked.

"I think Twig lost the scent." said Hilda, petting the deerfox.

"Randall, can I try something?" Alfur suddenly asks. Randall nods. Alfur steps to the front of the group.

"Astria!" Alfur's Persona now stands beside him. "So, every time I try to attack, nothing happens, but when we are here, I'm always getting weird feelings." He steps up to his Persona. Astria grabs him suddenly, dropping Alfur into its head. "Give me the toy." Alfur now sounds like he's on a loudspeaker. Randall gives Astria the toy. Lights begin emitting from its head, before concentrating on the toy. Then a red beam shoots off into the distance. "That way." Alfur says. The group resumed moving.

"Uh… is he really in here, Alfur?" David was now staring down a human sized dollhouse with his friends.

"I'm certain." Alfur assured.

"Crap. This is really shattering my image of him." David said.

"At least it can't get worse." Randall said.

"It's really all plastic, isn't it?" Hilda asked as the group walked through the house.

"It's not just that. It's not just hallways like the castle. It's just an inexplicable bunch of rooms." Randall said.

"We've been through at least 5 kitchens." Frida added. "If it weren't for Alfur, we'd be screwed." The Elf was still guiding them forward from inside of his Persona. He was able to pinpoint the shadows hidden in the fog, which was preventing the group from being crept up on.

"Hello!" The group had entered what appeared to be a ballroom, Trevor's shadow was sitting in a luxurious chair.

"Welcome to my dream house!" The creature was now walking towards them. "How about we get you guys ready for the ball!?" Shadow Trevor produced a folding wall, which he walked behind and emerged in a flowery ball gown. "Okay, you next!" He pointed at David, producing an orange dress.

"No, no! Thanks!" David cowered behind Randall.

"It's just a dress, David." Frida said.

"I have one for you, too!" Trevor produced a blue dress and pointed at Hilda. She, too, was now cowering behind Randall. Frida was covering her face, disappointed in her counterparts.

"Frida, we better just do this before he tries to put Twig in a dress." Randall says as he steps forward.

"Okay, Randall." Frida also stepped forward. Randall came forward first. "Shiva!"

"Take-Mikazuchi!" Frida's Persona burst from her, appearing as a muscular male figure with a very large gold sword. It towered over Shiva. Frida pointed at Trevor's shadow and her Persona swung its sword. When the dust settled, Shadow Trevor was holding up the large sword over his head.

"You'll have to try harder than that!" He threw the sword to his side and ran out of the room.

"Frida when were you going to tell us your Persona was so… big?" David asked.

"This is the first time I've seen it too, you know, but it feels appropriate." Frida flexed and her Persona did the same behind her, before it returned to Frida.

"That Trevor is just a delinquent." "I hear he steals lunch money from his classmates."

"Hey, shut up, I never steal!" Trevor was looking around, shouting at the voices in the foggy room. "Come out and fight like a man!"

"Oh, please, you aren't going to fight anyone." A new voice said.

"Who's talking to me now?" Trevor screamed, balling his fists.

"You know this delinquent thing is just an act. All you actually do is graffiti on Great Raven statues."

"I'll kick your ass!" Trevor was seeing red.

"Come at me, then!" The fog cleared, revealing a male figure, clad in a black dress.

"Are you supposed to be me?" Trevor dropped his guard a bit as Randall and friends entered the room.

"Hey! No interrupting!" Shadow Trevor made a gesture and ribbons of fabric emerged from the fog, grabbing the investigation team.

"Pers-" Randall was gagged by the fabric before he could finish the word. He was quickly bound to the floor. The others soon followed.

"Let's be honest with ourselves now. Why not just admit you like all this girly stuff?" Trevor's shadow said to Trevor.

"I'm not a girl!" Trevor said.

"The thing is, I am you!" Trevor's Shadow smiled.

"The hell you are! You're not me!" Trevor was blown back as his shadow went up in red. As the air cleared, his shadow was replaced by a large figure in an enormous red dress.

"I'm done with this bullshit!" Trevor ran forward before being smacked back by a ribbon from the dress. Randall was trying to look on in horror as he kept being pulled back to the floor. Suddenly he heard grunting, and turned his head to see Hilda fighting against her bonds and inching to him on her knees. The ribbons were holding her legs and arms behind her and pulling her hair. Her face came into view and she was clearly in pain, but she also had her pocket knife in her mouth. She slammed her head down next to Randall's left hand, and soon it broke free! He ripped the fabric away from his mouth.

"Orpheus!" He yelled just before he was grabbed again. Orpheus emerged and his strings freed Randall. "Go!" Orpheus charged at Trevor's shadow as he pulled Hilda free. "You are such a badass." he said.

"I try." Hilda replied. The two quickly freed the others and soon Valkyrie and Take-Mikazuchi were joining the fight. The three Personas rushed forward, and all three were quickly grabbed by the ribbons. Blue light began running down the ribbons, and ice started building on the Personas. Their summoners began reeling from the pain.

"Randall! Recall Orpheus!" Alfur shouted.

"Return!" Orpheus returned to light, breaking free from the ice as the other two Personas were consumed and shattered, sending David and Frida to the floor. "Jack Frost!" The light took the form of a tiny snowman and the ribbon re-grabbed it. The blue light seemed to not affect Jack Frost, however.

"Good choice, Randall! Ice doesn't seem to hurt that Persona!" Alfur said.

"I still can't attack, though!" Randall shouted back.

"Fine, if you want to ruin my fun, I'll just end it!" Shadow Trevor's ribbon turned blue and swung down at Trevor's body. Trevor looked up to see that Randall had caught the ribbon in his hands and was now being consumed by ice. He was visibly in pain and crying.

"Did you just sacrifice yourself for me?" Trevor said.

"It doesn't have to be a sacrifice! Just accept your other self!" Randall yelled back.

"I'm not a girl! it's not me!" Trevor yelled back defiantly.

"It is you! Liking knitting doesn't mean you can't be tough! I can tell you are tough just by looking at you, and I also know kids come to you to fix their toys! It's okay! I think that's cool!" Randall got the words out as the ice went around his neck. Trevor got up and began running at his other self.

"Why are you so persistent?" The shadow yelled.

"Because I'm tough! But you're right! I love cute shit!" Trevor yelled as he jumped into the dress. Suddenly the shadow began erupting in static and Randall was freed. As he caught his breath hey groaned out "Ganesha, finish it!" The elephant-like creature emerged and landed a direct hit on the shadow. It burst into static. Shadow Trevor returned to his original form, locking eyes with Trevor.

"I hate that this guy is inside me. The truth is I'm afraid of being made fun of, so I push people away. I'm you, and you're me." At this Shadow Trevor broke apart and fell into Trevor's hand as a glowing card. "Thanks for saying that stuff, blond kid. Thanks for not making fun of me." Trevor smiled.

"Call me Randall."

6/6

"You know I'm sure girls would like you more if they knew you could make toys and clothes." David said to Trevor from across the school lunch table.

"Please just drop it, for now?" Trevor said. "All I really want to know is who the jackass that did that to me was."

"We're trying to find that out, too." Frida said.

"Really? Well, how 'bout I tag along so I can kick his ass!" Trevor said.

"Sure." said Randall, smiling.

To Be Continued


	8. The Camping Trip

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

8: The Camping Trip

"Welcome to the Velvet Room. I'm afraid you've come while the master is away again. But, perhaps that was intentional this time?" Margaret smiled a little. "It seems you've unlocked the power of the Emperor Arcana." Her book flashed several images of Trevor. "What will you do with this new power? I must say, even my curiosity is piqued." She shot Randall one final smile as he began to awaken.

6/13

"This is so nice. I'm glad the summer weather is finally here!" David sat at the Junes table. Everyone had switched attire to match the hot weather. David and Hilda were both sporting tank tops and shorts, Frida a tank top and a skirt. Randall and Trevor, however, were not as with the picture.

"Why are you guys both wearing leather jackets in this heat?" Frida asked.

"It's all I really wear." said Trevor.

"I thought it looked cool on him, so I bought one." said Randall.

"Well, it does look cool." said David. "Besides, Alfur has been dressed the same since we met him."

"A good red shirt is all I need" remarked the elf. The six were eating lunch, along with Twig.

"Well, they say we're going to get a lot of rain soon. We'll have to keep an eye on the Midnight Channel," Frida said. "I hope it stays clear this weekend though."

"What's going on this weekend?" Randall asked.

"Sparrow Scouts year end camping trip. I'm helping the scouts get going again. I might even be taking Raven Leader's place." Frida said.

"You certainly were the best scout in our flock." added Hilda. "Even beat my mom's record for most badges."

"You guys can come if you want, I'd appreciate the help. The only other person helping is Mr. Cory." Frida said his name, disgusted.

6/16

"Thanks for coming shopping with me." Frida said as she gathered things for the camping trip. She was accompanied by Randall, David, Hilda, and Alfur.

"So what do we do on this camping trip anyway?" asked Randall.

"Some scavenger hunts, a bonfire, also spending the day cleaning trash up." Frida said.

"Eh, I figured as much. It sounds like a scout thing." Randall said.

"Well, a few years back, we did start a new tradition of going to the lake for a swim after the trip is over." Frida added.

"That could be fun, and just when I thought the swimsuit my uncle bought me was going to be useless." Randall said.

"Frida!" Hilda announced. "I want to cook something for everyone."

"Oh no." David said.

"David, come buy ingredients with me!" Hilda dragged David away, leaving Frida with Alfur and Randall.

"That should be exciting." Randall says.

"I'm gonna bring stuff for a meal, in case hers ends up being toxic." Frida said.

"You're home, big bro!" Cousin Hilda greeted Randall as he walked in the door. She saw his Junes bag. "You went to Junes! Everyday is great at your Junes!" She sang. "What did you buy?"

"Just some odds and ends for the camping trip tomorrow. I'll be gone for a while. Will you be okay?"

"Yeah, I can watch over the house while you're gone!" she said happily. Randall felt worried for her, so he spent part of the night teaching her magic tricks.

6/17

"David!" Randall yelled as his friend fell to the ground after trying Hilda's meal.

"You didn't make it too spicy, did you?" Frida asked.

"Yeah, about that…" Hilda said nervously. "Why don't you try it?" She asked Randall. He really didn't want to, but she was making puppy-dog eyes at him. He took a bite and fell to the ground with David.

"Maybe I should've taste tested it." Hilda says.

"Hilda, what are you doing?" Randall turned to see the new voice.

"What is that!?" Randall screamed. It looked like a person, but made of wood and with a floating head.

"It's just the Woodman." Hilda said.

"Who's the rude kid?" Woodman asks.

"His name is Randall." Hilda says.

"Alright." The Woodman says. "Anyway, I heard a bunch of kids and smelled food."

"Do you eat?" Randall asked.

"What a rude question." Woodman then proceeded to suck up some of Hilda's food like a vacuum.

"What did I miss, guys?" Trevor was walking up to everyone.

"Are you always this late?" Hilda asked.

"Get bent." Trevor said.

"Alright, this is too many people. Bye." The Woodman left.

"Why don't we sit down with my food and talk about the case while Mr. Cory has the kids?" Frida asked, as she went to retrieve her food.

The sun had set and the group was sitting at the unlit fire pit, waiting for the kids.

"So, Trevor totally blows our theory about the victims all being women." Frida says.

"There's literally no other connection between them." Hilda said.

"Actually, I've been thinking about it, and there is." Frida said. "Raven Leader did an interview on the news about the Sparrow Scouts, Nessa was interviewed when she found Raven Leader's body, I was interviewed in a story about the school, and then there was the piece about Trevor messing up the Raven statues."

"I would've never made that connection because I didn't see you on TV, Frida." Randall said. "But what you are saying is that everyone has been on the news at least once before they vanished."

"So, whoever is featured on the news next is the next target." David says. "But what's the motivation?

"Hey, we're back!" Mr. Cory stamped angrily into camp. "Kids are all yours, I'm done for the night." He disappeared into his tent.

Eventually only Frida and Randall were left by the dying fire, picking up.

"Hey." Woodman had returned. He placed a log on the fire. "You two are much quieter than everyone else, so, I'm back."

"Hey, Woodman." Frida said with an annoyed undertone. Frida then walked away for a bit.

"So, Randall, what brings you to Trolberg?"

"Staying with my Uncle for a year."

"Well, you picked an interesting group of friends."

"Yeah I like them. They are bizarre and wonderful people."

"Ever had a girlfriend, Randall?"

"Uh… no." Randall laughed a little. "How about you, Woodman?"

"Didn't expect you to ask back, but, yes. A long time ago. I prefer to be alone now, just traveling to my heart's content."

"Sounds lonely."

"It's not lonely if you like being alone."

"Well, it's not for me, I suppose, Woodman."

"Hilda is certainly the type of friend you'll never be bored with."

"Do you know her well?"

"Yeah, she used to live in the woods with her mom, before a giant stepped on her house."

"That sounds incredibly traumatic." Randall was a bit shocked.

"Well, she came to like the city. I'm sure she'd do it all again." Woodman said. "It's actually been a nice talk, kid. If we run into each other again, I'll teach you elf poker." The Woodman left before Randall could respond. He decided to go to bed.

6/18

"Alright, lake day is here!" David threw his shirt and jumped into the water. Hilda came up next to Randall in a blue one piece.

"I like the swimsuit, Randall. Red is the only color I've seen you in, but it's definitely your color."

"I like yours, too, Hilda." he said.

"Thanks, dude. Most people just say it's ugly, but you'll never catch me in a bikini. That's more Frida's thing." She pointed at Frida walking over in a purple bikini. Hilda was right, it looked good on her.

"Well, I see David is going to be useless. Can you two at least keep an eye on the kids too?" Frida said. "I'm going to just sit in the sun, I'm not much of a swimmer."

"Me too." Trevor had arrived. He wasn't even wearing a swimsuit, just his street clothes.

"Last one in has to eat the leftovers!" Hilda had already run ahead of Randall.

"Not happening!" Randall charged after her.

To Be Continued


	9. Can A Marra Have A True Self?

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

9: Can A Marra Have A True Self?

"Welcome to the Velvet Room." Igor smiled.

"You've made yet another new bond. You have quite a large number of bonds now." Margaret pulled out the book, which showed a picture of Woodman. "The Hanged Man. Soon your bonds will begin to deepen, and your strength will continue to grow."

"I can't wait to see what you accomplish." Igor said as the train car began to fade.

6/20

"Big bro! Come look at this!" Randall ran down the stairs and saw the news on TV.

"Last night, this footage of some sort of UFO was caught over Trolberg. Officials are baffled as to what it could be." The video appeared to show a green wisp shooting through the air. Randall called David. "David, do you think a Marra could be thrown into the TV?" He asked.

"No way, dude, there's no way the killer could catch a Marra." David responded.

6/21

"You think the killer would go after a random Marra?" Hilda said. "We don't even know which one slipped up and got caught on camera."

"Well, I do know a Marra." Randall said. "We have an 'arrangement'."

"Dude, don't make deals with Marras!" David exclaimed.

"I just don't see how the killer would track down one of these Marra things, at least based on what you guys have told me about them. What would happen to one if they got thrown in anyway?" Trevor added.

The Midnight Channel flashed to life for only a second, showing an image of a little girl in the fetal position.

"Hey, dork." Euryale had appeared behind Randall.

"Euryale, do you know which Marra got caught on camera the other night?"

"Kelly. That moron. Now come on. Nightmare time."

"I want to talk to Kelly." Randall said.

"I'll take you to her tomorrow, but you'll owe me."

"Owe you what?"

"You'll see!" She smiled.

6/22

"Dude, how did you find out where a Marra lives?" David asks.

"Apparently all 13 of them live together." Randall said "And there it is." Randall pointed at an abandoned building.

"Didn't that used to be a hotel?" Frida said.

"An abandoned hotel? That's something right out of a young adult fiction story." Hilda said. Randall knocked on the door.

"What!?" Twintail opened the door. "Hilda, why are you here, and who told you about this place?"

"We're here to talk to Kelly and-"

"Randall!" Euryale came floating down the stairs. "Let me show you around!" Euryale dragged him into the hotel, leaving the others behind.

"So first stop, my bedroom!" Euryale said.

"Your what?" Randall questioned nervously. Euryale threw him on a bed.

"You know, Randall, I've decided how you can pay me back. Be my boyfriend." Randall was staring at the ceiling in fear.

"You know that's kinda weird since I'm a teenager and you're a conditionally immortal creature." Randall forced the words out.

"Not if we turn you into a Marra." she said.

"Wait, wait, can a boy be a Marra?" Randall asked.

"Well you'd be a Mar, or an Alp depending on who you ask, but it's like the same thing." Suddenly a series of bangs and knocks echoed through the abandoned building.

"Maybe you should check on that-" Randall finally looked over only to see that Euryale had taken her shirt off. He let out a small scream and looked away.

"I thought you weren't afraid of Marras!" She laughed.

"This... is very different." Randall said, closing his eyes. The Marra had climbed on top of him and then suddenly Randall heard a smack, and she was gone. He opened his eyes and saw Twintail, rubbing her hand.

"Idiot." she said, looking at the other girl, knocked out on the floor. "Please, just get your idiot friends out of our house, and I'll try to get her off your back, deal?" Twintail stuck out her hand, and Randall happily shook it. He walked out into the hallway only to be greeted by his friends running from multiple Marras.

"Guys, let's go!" he yelled, and soon they were outside. "What happened in there?"

"Well, we broke in to find Kelly," David said.

"Was that Hilda's idea?" Randall asked, and she nodded in agreement. "Did you learn anything?"

"No, she just chased us out." David said.

"Well, at least your dumb plan helped me out." Randall said. "I almost lost something important in there."

6/23

"So we're trying this stakeout thing again?" David asked.

"Yes, it's all we can do, really." Hilda said.

"Who are you guys watching?" a new voice suddenly said. Everyone turned and jumped.

"Hey… Detective Leif… what are you doing here?" Randall asked.

"Some legwork for Arren," he responds.

"What are you doing here?" the detective asks.

"Uhhhh-" Hilda is cut off by Randall.

"We're checking out the abandoned hotel." he lies.

"Oh, well… I'd be careful, it's supposed to be haunted. Also, it's private property." Detective Leif says. After the Detective left, the group stayed until after dark, eventually heading home to watch the Midnight Channel. To Randall's disdain, a video of a small girl running from dark figures appeared on the screen.

6/24

"Maybe the Midnight Channel is just a message from the person's Shadow?" Frida suggested.

"What about the silent images, in the days before?" Randall asked.

"Maybe that's a message from the killer," David says.

"What if it's the killer's thoughts?" Alfur suggested.

"So, we still have nothing. I guess we'll have to just watch the Midnight Channel again, and hope the killer can't catch a Marra," Trevor said.

6/25

"So, will you help me? Will you… be my friend?" The little girl on the Midnight Channel almost looked like Kelly, however she was gone too quickly to really say for sure.

"Hey, guys, are these trees?" David remarked as the usual layout of the TV World turned into a forest.

"It's the Huldrawood, David." Hilda said. "We should just head to the Marra fire pit."

Instead of the usual fire pit, the little girl sat in the opening.

"Will you be my friends?" She asked, crying.

"We'll be your friends!" The voices did not belong to the investigation team, instead they were the voices of some of the other Marras.

"Look!" David pointed to the real Kelly, slumped against a tree. He tried to move over to her, but shadows began pouring into the room. Calls of 'Persona' quickly filled the area, and combat soon followed. Kelly had woken up and began heading for her shadow.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Kelly asked.

"I'm you, silly!" she said.

"No, you aren't, I'm not a little girl," Kelly said in a threatening tone.

"You're not scary. In fact you're scared!"

"I'm not scared of anything!" Kelly said. Suddenly a single Persona broke through the Shadows, a confusingly dressed figure, shooting ice.

"Nice job, Goemon!" Trevor burst through after his Persona.

"You don't even want to be a Marra! You want to be able to go home and see your mom!" the little girl yelled.

"No! Shut up! You're not me!" Kelly screamed and her Shadow exploded with power, pushing her back. Kelly's shadow transformed into a shadowy feminine figure, with glowing green eyes. The shadow jumped into the air, fighting the Personas hand to hand. Slowly but surely, the others realized she was winning.

"Guys, I don't think it has a weakness!" Alfur yelled as Astria took a large hit and vanished. She then jumped and slammed Goemon and Valkyrie together, destroying them. She took a leap and pinned Orpheus down, crushing it's head. Randall fell to his knees. Take-Mikazuchi tackled the Shadow, but it quickly began pushing back. Frida was clearly losing energy.

"Hilda! You need to take Kelly and go!"

"What do you mean, go?" Hilda yelled.

"I mean, we're going to lose. I can't hold this much longer!" No sooner was Take-Mikazuchi defeated.

"Guys, it's been fun." David groaned out as the Shadow raised its fist to crush the Persona users.

"Hey! You stop that!" Hilda yelled. The Shadow stopped and turned to Hilda.

"You're just annoying." The Shadow swung down at Hilda at a speed she couldn't outrun, but at the last second something pushed her, and the fist missed. She turned around to see Twig, limp on the ground. Hilda ran over to the deerfox, antlers broken, and legs to match. Hilda began crying over her deerfox.

"Please, stop! Stop hurting people, stop hurting animals!" Kelly yelled over tears.

"What will you do about it?" The shadow said.

"I'm going to accept you! I am afraid! I do want to go home! I want to stop being a Marra!" Kelly's voice echoed and the Shadow destabilized. Suddenly Twig let out a screeching howl. The Deer fox was surrounded in light as a large dog-like creature spawned from it. The Persona jumped forward and bit the damaged shadow, destroying it.

"Twig… do you have a Persona?" Hilda asked. Kelly walked forward to her other self.

"I'm sorry I let this happen. You're right. I'm you, and you're me." The Shadow turned into a floating card, which was absorbed into Kelly.

"I'm sorry the others couldn't walk you home." Randall said, walking with Kelly from Junes.

"Well, I do want to go the rest of the way alone from here." she said. "Can I tell you something first?" Randall nodded. "In that world, I couldn't use my Marra powers, and… I had a pulse again." Randall gasped.

"You mean to say you were alive in the TV World?" Randall asked.

"I'm not sure. Either way, I'm going to help you find the jerk that did this to me!" Kelly said confidently.

"Glad to have your help." Randall said.

To Be Continued


	10. The Emptiness

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

10: The Emptiness

"Welcome to the Velvet Room!" Igor says.

"Your last battle was a fierce one, but you overcame and unlocked a new bond, The Lovers Arcana." Margaret's book showed some images of Kelly. "Romance in moderation will make you happy, but in excess it will prick you and make you bleed." Margaret began fading into the ether.

7/10

"Damn it!" Trevor slams his fist on the table. "This totally blows our theory about the news. Mr. Cory has never been on the news, probably TV in general."

"He never appeared on the Midnight Channel, either," Frida added.

"I really thought our theory was good, too." Hilda said.

"There's no way the Midnight Channel isn't related. Something just feels off about all this." Randall said.

"Nope, nothing." Alfur and Astria were scanning around the arena. "Even if I couldn't sense exactly where the person was, I could always sense a difference if someone had been thrown in here."

"So that means the Mr. Cory was killed in our world." Randall said.

"Maybe it's because the TV stopped working. We've saved three people now." Frida said.

"Sorry, all I remember is waking up on the other side." Kelly told everyone.

"How can none of us remember being pushed in?" Trevor asked. Everyone looked down at the ground a bit as they stood in the shadow of the bell tower.

"At least you have me to help now, right?" Kelly asked.

"Of course." Randall said.

7/11

"Is that story about Mr. Cory true?" Voices echoed around the classroom before the door swung open.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Miss Hallgrim. I'll be taking over as your teacher for the late Mr. Cory." Ms. Hallgrim was an older woman with white hair. She was also very short.

"Ms. Hallgrim, don't you normally teach younger kids?" David asked.

"Yes, but there aren't many younger kids enrolled right now. They rolled my class into another so I could teach you all. Now, no more questions. Please remember that finals are coming up and that you need to study." Ms. Hallgrim turned to write her name on the board.

"I totally forgot finals were coming up." David groaned as the group left school.

"You don't do well on tests anyway, David." Frida said.

"At least I do better than Hilda." David said, as Hilda smacked the back of his head.

"Hey, Frida." A strange boy was waiting for them.

"Hey, you're that kid who was bugging Frida back in like, April. What do you want?" Hilda demanded.

"Come with me, Frida!" The boy grabbed her arm. Hilda immediately jumped in and pushed him back.

"Back off!" Hilda said.

"You back off! This has nothing to do with you!" The boy said. "Will you come with me, Frida?"

"Just who are you again?" Frida asked. The boy suddenly looked angry.

"Are you kidding me?! Who do you think you are?!"

"Who the hell are you?" Trevor had walked up behind them, his hands balled into fists.

"You'll regret this!" The boy ran away.

"What's that dude's problem?" Trevor said.

7/23

"Yes! Finals are over!" David cheered. The group was huddled under an umbrella table at Junes. "How'd you do, Randall?"

"Just seemed like my pen moved on its own." Randall said smugly.

"Dude, not cool." David said. "Where's Hilda, by the way?" No sooner did the girl appear.

"Guys, look who it is!" She was carrying Twig. Apparently, he's only begun walking again recently. Hilda sat down and the deerfox curled up on her lap. "I have more news!" She threw a newspaper down. It read "Police looking for Trolberg serial murderer"

"What!? They caught him?" David said.

"They haven't said anything about who it is yet, though, other than that it's a kid." Hilda said.

"A kid?" Frida said. "That's hard to believe."

"So does that mean this is the end of our group?" Randall said.

7/26

"Maybe you were right, Randall. Maybe we aren't needed anymore." Frida said as they approached school.

"Just to be safe, let's watch the Midnight Channel tonight, to be certain." Randall said.

7/27

"Did you find him, Alfur?" Randall said. None of the group expected to be in the TV again, nor did they expect to see some boy they didn't know on the Midnight Channel.

"Yeah, he's that way." Astria's light shined straight forward.

"What, is this?" Frida said as the whole group marveled at what appeared to be an 8 bit video game dungeon, with a sign that said Void Quest.

"I think it's a video game." David said.

"He did say 'catch me if you can'. He probably thinks this is a game." Trevor said.

"I'm gonna give him a foot to the face." Hilda said as they traversed the dungeon.

"We can, once we make it to the end." Randall said. Suddenly, Kelly stopped.

"Undine!" The words slipped from her mouth in a calm but serious tone. "You think you can sneak up on a Marra?" Suddenly a bunch of Shadows appeared behind them. Undine quickly began slaughtering the dice-like creatures that had tried a sneak attack.

"Keep going, Randall, I've got the grunts." An explosion went off and Kelly didn't blink. The group moved on without her.

"You know, I was thinking of something," Hilda said as the group ran. "The kid who was on the Midnight Channel last night looked a lot like that weirdo who was bugging Frida. What if he's the killer? Just add the "catch me if you can" thing, and the fact that the police are looking for a highschooler."

"So when the police started looking for him, he put himself in the TV?" David said.

"What's the motive though?" Trevor said.

"Let's ask him." Hilda said.

The group pulled up to a large door and began hearing voices.

"You're not a killer. You just wanted attention."

"I am the killer! I did it!" The door opened into a large room. "You're a poser!" The boy said.

"You won't accept me?" The shadow began going up in red. "I am a shadow, the true self. I shall put an end to your emptiness!" Suddenly a wave of darkness engulfed the group.

?/?

"So we're going to have a cook off! Between Hilda, David, Kelly and Randall!" Frida cheered.

"And little me will be the judge!" Hilda said. The four quickly ran into Junes to get their ingredients.

"Where's Frida?" David asked.

"She had to help her parents." Hilda said.

"Well why don't we call off the cook-off then?" suggested Trevor.

"Yeah we'll do the party another time. Sorry, Little Hilda." said David.

"Even if we are postponing, I'm glad we caught that guy." Trevor said.

"Yeah, we've all been through so much." Kelly said.

"I just wanna forget all that death stuff." Hilda grimaced.

"So, I guess the group's breaking up?" Trevor asked.

"No, let's keep meeting up." Randall said.

"Good plan." said David. The group all chimed in with cheers of agreement.

8/28?

"I'm sorry the party keeps getting delayed because of me." Frida says.

"It's cool, we're all busy." David says. "Anything new about the case?"

"Not since they caught that kid." Randall said.

"It's like people have already forgotten the whole thing." Hilda said.

"I have to go, guys." said Frida as she left.

"I can't believe summer's almost over." Hilda said. "We didn't even make plans to do anything fun."

"Yeah, that's too bad." Randall said.

"We'll do something next year!" Hilda said.

"Randall won't be here next summer." David said.

"Oh. That's right." Hilda said sadly.

9/24?

"Wow, just us today, huh?" Randall said across the almost empty Junes table.

"Yeah, I guess we're the only two who actually thought we were friends." David said. Randall froze briefly.

10/13?

"Big bro? Why does no one come over anymore?" Cousin Hilda asked from across the dinner table. "Wouldn't it be nice if they came by to play?"

11/18?

"So, no one's coming today?" David was in his Junes uniform.

"No. Do you ever think about going inside the TV again?" Randall asks.

"I'm past that. Besides we have to start thinking about college and stuff. Anyway, I have to go back to work." David left Randall alone at the table. It began raining.

Randall stared at the TV as Midnight approached, yet it remained once again silent. He touched the TV, but his hand wouldn't go through.

"I have nothing." A voice suddenly filled the room.

"Is that a shadow?" Randall said.

"Everything is nothing and friendship is an illusion," it continued. Randall began shouting Persona, but none came forth.

"You have no bonds, no Personas, just emptiness. You are like me."

"You're wrong!" As he spoke, the shadow took hold of Randall by the neck. The light soon faded from Randall's eyes.

"Randall!" A voice called out. "Gimme your hand!"

"That's right, I'm not alone!" Randall reached up. Someone grabbed his hand and he was pulled free from the black void shadow, back into the 8 bit arena. Frida and Kelly's Personas flew by Randall and David as the shadow sent out another volley.

"Thank you, David." Randall was set down by the others.

"We're glad you're okay." Frida said.

"Let's finish this." Randall said. "Orpheus!" The Persona joined the others attacking the shadow, appearing as a 3D pixel character.

"We can't take it out until the shell is defeated!" Alfur said. Even with all seven of them, the blocks kept regenerating faster than they could rip them apart.

"I'm tired of you!" Frida shouted and Take-Mikazuchi charged into the Shadow and blew a hole in it's chest.

"Quickly, he'll rebuild!" Alfur shouted.

"No, he won't!" Randall said, as the shadow was pierced by Orpheus' strings. "I am far from empty! Jack Frost!" The Persona let out a volley of ice. "Titan!" Randall's Personas took their turns, one by one erasing the shadow.

"How many Personas does he have?" asks David while they watch Randall.

"Odin!" Randall's largest Persona to date emerges. "Finish it." Odin takes one large swing and the shadow explodes into static. The group recalls their Personas and heads over to the boy.

"What do you guys want?" The boy says.

"We came to catch your ass." Trevor said.

"The police think you're the killer." David says.

"Is it true?" Randall asks.

"Yes! I'm the killer!" The boy says. With that, his shadow vanishes.

7/30

"So I hear that kid confessed to everything." David said.

"Apparently, he just did it to stand out." Hilda said. "That's sad."

"I say we just leave it to the cops now." Randall says.

"Yeah that's all we can do." adds Trevor.

"We've accomplished our mission." Kelly continues.

"Guess this means we won't be summoning Personas anymore." Trevor says.

"Is this our last meeting?" Frida asks.

"No, let's keep meeting." Randall says.

"Of course, dude! Summer break is just starting!" Hilda cheers. "Let's have a rap party!"

Randall, Kelly, Hilda and David agreed to have a cook-off. After an afternoon of shopping and cooking, the four meals were placed in front of the judge, Little Hilda. Everyone took a bite of David's food after Randall's.

"Wow dude, it tastes like… nothing." Trevor said.

"I think it's cardboard." Randall added.

"I like it, it tastes good!" Little Hilda says. David walks over and gives her a hug.

"Now, time for mine!" Hilda passes out her food.

"Wow, this is the definition of awful." Frida says. "Twig won't even eat the food." She pointed

"I like this one too!" Little Hilda says.

"Aww!" Hilda walks over and hugs Randall's cousin. Kelly's goes out next. David takes one bite and passes out on the floor. Before anyone can stop her, Little Hilda takes a bite. She cries a little.

"Spicy, but good." she says.

"You are way cooler than your cousin." Kelly says.

"I think Randall's was the best!" David says.

"Yeah! Big Bro's!" Little Hilda adds.

"Good to know." Randall smiles.

To Be Continued


	11. Randall's Summer Vacation

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

11: Randall's Summer Vacation

"Congratulations on overcoming your most difficult battle to date." Margaret looked proud.

"Now I think it would be wise to take a break, rest and rejuvenate. Knowing when to take a break is a valuable skill." Igor said.

"Enjoy your summer break, my guest." Margaret said.

8/6

"I'm home!" Little Hilda sneezed. Randall ran down to greet her. Hilda was soaked. Randall went and grabbed a towel.

"Why didn't you have your umbrella?" Randall asked.

"I lost it." she said.

8/7

Randall realized while shopping for a new umbrella for Hilda that he was running out of money. He went to the town's job board, and collected a flier stating the library needed summer help. Randall soon found himself face to face with a woman, dressed in black with a cape, her hair dyed purple.

"So, to be clear, you have no experience." the Librarian said.

"Correct." said Randall.

"Can you do everything I say and do so without complaining?" the Librarian asked.

"As long as it's legal."

"I can work with that. Put all the books in the return bin in their proper shelves."

"Right now?"

"No questions." The Librarian climbed a ladder and rolled away.

The book return seemed bottomless. Randall was moving books for over two hours before the entire library began to rumble. Randall ran into the library, still carrying a large blue book he couldn't find a home for. It seemed to go to a section that didn't exist. It was called Virtuous Simplicity: Facile Spells for Beginners. As Randall rounded a corner he noticed a blue haze coming from one of the bookcases. He approached and noticed the case seemed to be out of position. He grabbed it and it rolled away, revealing a secret door. The blue haze poured into the library as Randall descended and found the librarian, hair blown back in front of a table.

"Why are you down here?" She yelled.

"Uh, to find a place for this book?" She grabbed the blue book from him.

"Well this is it. Glad you didn't open this, might have lead to a small problem." She shelved the book. "Now why are you really down here?"

"The blue haze and the rumbling." Randall said.

"Well, I'm doing magic. I tried to substitute an ingredient for one I can't seem to find, and well... blew myself up. Almost."

"What ingredient can't you find?" Randall asked.

"A lock of hair from a nightmare spirit." she answered.

"Like, a Marra?"

"Sure, but you can't catch one, they can become intangible."

"What if I were friends with one?" A moment of silence passed before the librarian grabbed him.

"You know a Marra!?"

"Thirteen, technically."

"Take me, now." She began fumbling with her keys. She dragged Randall out of the library by the arm and into her car. "Where are we going?"

"Uhhhh..."

"Just point!" she said. Randall lead her through Trolberg as best as he could, eventually dropping them near the Marra hotel. Randall knocked on the door and was greeted by Twintail, looking as angry as ever.

"Which one do you want?" She groaned.

"Kelly, or anyone but Euryale." Randall said.

"Euryale, Randall is here to see you!" Twintail flashed a crooked smile as Euryale flew by the group. She was now hugging Randall, and he had become paralyzed with fear.

"You didn't tell me it was like that, Randall. That's surprisingly freaky of you." The Librarian laughed at him.

"It's not. Help me." Randall stuttered. As he spoke, Kelly showed up and peeled Euryale off like a band-aid.

"Okay, what do you want, Randall?" She asked.

"This is my boss, and she wants a lock of Marra hair."

"That's kind of creepy, lady." Kelly said.

"You give children nightmares." she replied.

"Fair enough, be right back." Kelly quickly zipped in and out of the hotel. She returned with a hairbrush.

"Here, I need a new one anyway." She handed the brush to the librarian.

"Here's your bonus, Randall." The librarian put a bunch of cash in Randall's hand and drove away without him.

"And I'll be taking that." Kelly grabbed half the money.

"Wait, I need that." Randall said.

"Where do you think I'm getting the new hairbrush, Randall?" She returned to the hotel. He just stood in place for a minute before Twintail came out of the hotel.

"Hey, weirdo, I have a question." she says. "Why do my Marras like you so much? I've been in charge for years, and humans don't befriend Marras."

"Maybe I'm just special." Randall says.

"I doubt it." The two begin walking into Trolberg.

"Why are you in charge anyway, Twintail?"

"I've been here the longest."

"Is it really that simple?"

"It's worked for a while anyway."

"Aren't you guys immortal? Doesn't that sort of make you a dictator?"

"Marras aren't immortal. We die if we don't consume enough fear, which is why we live in colonies. More Marras, more fear."

"That still sounds like you would live forever in that scenario." Twintail shot Randall an angry look.

"Marras don't typically live forever. They eventually get regretful of things they've done, or just decide they have lived long enough. I've seen hundreds of my friends evaporate from running out of fear, on purpose." She looked down at the sidewalk.

"Oh..." Randall said. "How old does that make you?"

"I died when I was 15." she says.

"I mean, how long have you been a Marra?"

"Have you learned about the witch hunts, Randall?"

"Sure, but I thought that happened in the U.S.?"

"It happened in a lot of places. Of course you know it was rigged. All I did was try and save my friend from being drowned. I failed and ended up getting accused of being a witch because I dared challenge the status quo."

"I feel like witches wouldn't go down that easily." Randall said.

"Oh, certainly, do you know how much damage Hilda and that creepy Librarian could do if they wanted? It was never about actually hunting real witches, it was just a means to get rid of people who disagreed with leadership, especially women. They tried to crush me with stones, but I held on into the night, when a few girls with green eyes approached me. They told me I could live through it if I became a Marra, and that I could get revenge. I did it to avenge my friend."

"Wait that doesn't tell me how old you actually are."

"I died in 1645," She says.

"Holy shit." Randall went silent.

"Yeah, holy shit."

"Why haven't you, um..."

"Killed myself? I think about it a lot actually, but I feel like I've been given a chance to see if humanity can improve itself compared to when I was alive."

"I think that's both very cool and an incredible burden." Randall said.

"Don't mention it. Seriously, I will give you nightmares if you mention it. Also, if you want money, get a job at Junes." Twintail turned into a green orb and flew back in the direction of the Marra hotel. The two had walked most of the way back into town and Randall was staring down Junes.

8/10

Randall had always thought of Junes as some sort of base of operations, but now he was set to have his first day running a cash register there. Junes had one person who did all the interviews, and then each section of the store had a supervisor below the hiring manager. Randall would be working in the grocery section.

"Are you Randall?" asked a middle aged woman with brown hair and a red sweater.

"Yes," Randall said.

"My manager told me what you looked like. I'm your supervisor, Johanna."

"Oh, do you know Hilda?" Randall says. "Her mom's name is Johanna."

"Oh, you're a friend of hers? I'm glad we hired you then, she picks good friends." Johanna walked into the store a bit, Randall trailing behind her

"Is Hilda's hair naturally blue?"

"I got that a lot when she was a kid." Johanna laughed a little. "Yes, it is, but no one can tell us why. What about you, are you some kind of boyfriend she hasn't told me about?"

"No, actually I don't think Hilda bringing home a boy is much of a problem you'll have."

"Are you saying my daughter is ugly?" Johanna was suddenly serious. "I'm just messing with you, I know she's into girls."

"Oh, she's told you?" Randall was surprised.

"No. I'm actually kind of upset she didn't tell me before some boy I've never even heard about from her. I'm her mother though, I've had a pretty good idea since she was about 13."

"She'll tell you eventually."

"And I will say 'I know'." Both of them laughed. "Okay, let me teach you everything you need to know about the produce section on your first day." Johanna had Randall clean and restock shelves the entire shift. He returned home exhausted later in the night.

8/13

"Detective Elison, maybe you should slow down." Detective Leif was visiting to celebrate the case closing, Randall's uncle was clearly drunk.

"Hey Randall, what's keeping you out all the time? Is it a girl?" He said, clearly unable to control the volume of his voice.

"The truth is, I needed some money and it hasn't been easy." Randall said. His uncle began laughing for seemingly no reason. The phone began ringing. Randall answered and Hilda was on the other line.

"Hey, do you want to go outside the wall with me?"

"Yes please." Randall said, hoping to get out of the house.

The Great Raven came to pick him up, Hilda and Alfur in tow.

"Hey, dork." Hilda says. Randall was still afraid of heights to a degree. He looked down at the bird's back the entire ride.

"Watch for Trolls, okay, guys?" Hilda said as they got off the bird.

"So what's on your mind, Hilda?" Randall asked.

"Well I've been thinking about our conversation a while back and I decided I was ready to talk about it with my mom."

"What conversation, Hilda?" Alfur says.

"It was between me and Randall actually. I wanted to come out here again to mark the day I was ready to be open about myself."

"What do you mean, Hilda?" Raven asked.

"I'm gay." she says, much more confidently than before.

"Oh! Good for you, Hilda! That's so brave!" The Raven hugged her. Meanwhile the elf was staring at the ground.

"What's that?" he asks.

"Wait, you don't know?" Randall asks. "It means Hilda is attracted to other girls instead of boys."

"Oh. We don't… have that with elves."

"What do you mean? It's sort of a natural thing, Alfur." Hilda says.

"I guess I just need to look into it more." Alfur says. "I'm glad you're happy, Hilda." After the elf spoke, Hilda sat down and began drawing.

"Hilda, I need to say something too." Randall says suddenly. "I'm gay, too."

A light filled the girl's eyes. She jumped up and grabbed Randall. "I'm so glad I met you! That's so cool! Wait. So who do you think is hotter, Trevor or David?"

"That's weird. But, uh, Trevor, I guess. I think there's more to a relationship than who's the cutest, though." Randall says.

"Sorry. I'm just excited, I didn't think I'd meet someone like me living in this small town." Hilda was beaming.

"Hey, guys, I don't mean to interrupt, but the Troll is here." Everyone turned around at Raven's words. The Troll was right behind them. Fortunately, it was David's Troll, coming to see Hilda.

"Hey!" Hilda jumped up and hugged the Troll, which promptly hugged back, nearly crushing her. She looked behind her to see Randall with his hands balled into fists. "What's wrong, dude?"

"Today, I conquer two fears!" He ran at the Troll and jumped in the hug with Hilda.

"You did it, Randall! How's it feel?" She looked and saw her friend, his face red.

"I think I'm dying." he choked out.

To Be Continued


	12. Randall's Summer Vacation, Part Two

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

12: Randall's Summer Vacation, Part 2

8/20

"So it's finally time for your first Raven Parade, Randall!" He'd been talking with David on the phone for about 15 minutes, David was insisting on planning out everything.

"Everyone but Kelly and Trevor should be there, too." He said.

"Wait, I get why the Marras wouldn't want to be out tonight, but why Trevor?" Randall asked.

"It's a long story, but essentially he hit the symbol of the town with a rock once."

"Huh, the more you know. Don't forget I'm going to have Lil' Hilda with me, our uncle is working." Randall added.

The girls and David had beaten Randall and Lil' Hilda to the festival. Everyone wore red, yellow, and orange; something to do with the symbolism of the Raven bringing a good harvest in the coming fall.

"Guys, I'm glad you're here, we can't find Raven!" Hilda was clearly in distress.

"Okay, we'll find him, then!" Randall said. David pulled Randall's walkie from the stakeout out of his bag.

"Have you just been carrying these?" Randall asked.

"Why not?" David shrugged. The group split up, Lil' Hilda staying with Randall.

30 minutes in, Lil' Hilda grabbed Randall.

"Big bro, look!" She pointed at a statue. Randall had been told it was the town's founder. A small bird was perched on its head.

"Raven!" Randall yelled.

"Oh, hey, Randall." The bird said, somewhat sadly.

"Why are you here, your festival is going on, and the parade is getting ready to start."

"This is the Great Raven? Shouldn't he be bigger?" Lil' Hilda asked.

"I'm having doubts about the whole Great Raven thing. What if I can't go on flying over this town every year? I'm not even a god or anything." The bird said.

"Well, if you don't want to go to the festival, let's just do something else." Randall said.

"But if I don't fly over, the town will think I'm unhappy with them!"

"Trolberg will continue on without the Great Raven. Their harvest just comes from Junes now anyways."

"Uh… sure, kid. Let's take you to my favorite place."

"Where's that?"

"Somewhere you'll need a winter coat. Show me your house." The Raven turned to his great form. Randall climbed on and put Lil' Hilda in his lap. "We're going to fly high so no one sees us, okay?" The Raven says as they take off. Lil' Hilda didn't open her eyes the entire time, and may have used a tighter grip than Hilda's troll, Randall wasn't sure. After the two had grabbed their winter gear, they returned to Raven, and took to the sky.

It seemed like half an hour passed as Randall and his cousin tried not to look down from Raven with all their might, before he landed.

"Welcome to Mt. Har!" Randall opened his eyes and nearly screamed. They were at the peak of a very tall mountain.

"Raven, why is this your favorite? You can fly!" Randall said, terrified.

"Because nowadays, anyone can fly. But very few people have ever climbed to the top of Mt. Har."

Randall started to calm down and take in just how much he could see. Lil' Hilda was now doing the same.

"You know, kid, you're only the second person ever to ask me what I wanted."

"Who was the first?" Randall asked.

"Hilda. She's also the reason I don't really want this Great Raven gig anymore."

"How does that work? Did she do something bad?"

"No, she was the first person to ever see me as someone other than the Great Raven. I realize what I haven't really had all these years is a friend."

"I'll be your friend!" Lil' Hilda said.

"Really?" Raven said.

"Yeah! You should just ask people and I'm sure they'd say yes!" She added.

"This is a bit dark, but I'm afraid to ask humans to be my friend. I'll outlive all of them." Randall was suddenly filled with the fear of the unknown.

"Wouldn't knowing someone while they are alive feel better than having no friends?" Randall asked.

"I am happy to have Hilda." Raven says thoughtfully.

"Maybe you don't need to quit being the Great Raven all together. Maybe you need to mix it up." Randall began whispering a plan into the Raven's ear.

"Okay! Why not?" Everyone returned to the Raven's back, and Randall was able to convince himself to watch as he descended back into Trolberg from the mountain. Suddenly his radio came to life.

"Randall, where are you!?" David's voice said.

"Right here." he responded.

"Dude what the hell?! You disappeared! The parade is almost over, people are getting desperate!"

"Just watch this, then." Randall said. The bird flew right over the Parade, stopping in the square and dropping Randall and his cousin off in the middle of the crowd, before he swooped up and erupted in thunder and lighting. The town of Trolberg cheered as Raven fell back to the Earth, landing with Randall and Lil' Hilda.

"Hey, Trolberg!" The Raven said. Suddenly the crowds fell silent. There were murmurs about how no one had ever heard him speak.

"Can I have your autograph?" A voice asked.

"I can try, I don't have hands!" Suddenly the town swarmed the bird, trying to take pictures with him and the like. Lil' Hilda broke free ahead of Randall and was suddenly picked up by her father.

"Randall, what the hell was that?" He asked as the boy broke free.

"It was the coolest ever, dad! I rode the Great Raven and got to hang out with big bro!" Lil' Hilda was speaking almost too fast to understand. Randall's uncle gave him a look that was both dirty, but happy at the same time. He walked away with her.

"Dude!" David came up behind Randall. "That was so cool, what happened?"

"We had to take a little detour." Randall said.

"Come on, then! I'll take you to our secret spot for watching the parade!" David lead Randall to a back alley, before climbing a wall which overlooked the parade, and already had Hilda, Frida, Alfur, and Twig sitting on it.

"Hey! You made it!" Hilda gestured for David and Randall to sit next to her. The group watched the parade for about twenty minutes before Randall realized Hilda had fallen asleep on his shoulder. He began to blush when Frida noticed.

"So that's what you two have been doing when you disappear?" She asked.

"No, nothing like that." Randall said nervously.

"I'll defend him on this one, Frida. Hilda already has eyes for someone else." Alfur said.

"Who?" Frida asks.

"You'll have to ask her yourself." he says. Suddenly Frida starts to laugh.

"Maybe Randall is just a good pillow." She says through her laughs.

Alfur turned around to notice David had fallen asleep on his other shoulder, and Randall was beet red. The elf joined in laughing at him.

"Shut up, elf!" he whispered angrily.

To Be Continued


	13. The School Trip

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

13: The School Trip

"Welcome to the Velvet Room." Igor said, as Randall had become accustomed to. "I hope you enjoyed your vacation, as a new obstacle is now ahead of you."

"You've done well nurturing your bonds." As Margaret spoke, several cards began dancing around her book. "The Priestess, The Moon, Death, Justice, The Devil, and The Sun Arcana. You've done well to forge this many bonds in such a short period of time, I look forward to seeing what you do with this new power." She seemed totally blown away.

9/8

"I'm so excited for this trip!" David was jumping around the bus.

"David, we've all been to the capital before." Frida says.

"It's home for me." Randall adds.

"But there's so much to do there!"

"Day 1, class exchange. Day 2, mandatory factory tour. Day 3, go home." Randall read the schedule. David suddenly sat down.

"They are having us visit my school, I think they want kids from smaller towns to interact with the kids from the city." Randall said.

"Do you have any friends we can meet, Randall?" Frida asks.

"Maybe one. There's a girl named Emma, she's an old family friend." Randall said.

"Do you really only have one friend, dude?" David asked.

"Yeah, I don't normally get out as much as I do in Trolberg. My parents are a bit… overprotective." Randall says. "A few years ago, there were a lot of seemingly random murders and none of them ever got solved. Plus the breakout of something called Apathy Syndrome."

"You might just be bad luck, dude." says Trevor.

"You'll all change your mind when I tell you my secret plan." Randall says.

"What do you mean 'secret plan'?" David's curiosity was piqued.

"Emma owed me a favor. You'll see." Randall smiled and returned to reading the agenda.

As the group arrived to hear the principal of Randall's school talking about its history, David spoke up.

"This school is huge, dude!" David says.

"This city is much bigger than Trolberg, David."

"Yeah but you could fit like, two or three Junes stores in there." Hilda said.

"Hello, everyone!" Suddenly, all attention turned to the girl at the podium. She was fair skinned with blonde hair and glasses, also rather tall for a girl her age.

"Welcome, everyone! I am the president of this year's class and I'll be giving you the tour today. My name is Emma."

"Dude! You didn't tell me your friend was so hot!" David said.

"What? She's just a normal girl." Randall says.

"Do you even have a type, dude?"

"Yes, David, yes I do." Randall says. "At least Trevor isn't making himself look like a fool."

"What's Trevor doing? I wasn't staring or anything!" Trevor stumbles.

"Never mind." Randall covers his face.

"We've never had students from another school here before, so we wanted to make sure everyone got something special from this experience. First, we'll be having a special lecture. Please come with me to the classrooms." Emma lead the class to an extremely modern classroom, which put the Ahlberg School to shame. The day flew by in a mix of bizarre lectures about old gods, regular math and everything in between, all with Emma leading the way.

"Alright, kids, you did great today. Now we'll be going to our hotel for the night." Ms. Hallgrim's voice carried through the bus like nails on a chalkboard.

The class stood outside the hotel, which had a very sleazy appearance.

"This place just opened up and I got a great deal!" Ms. Hallgrim seemed blind to the hotel's appearance as she walked in.

"Is this going to be a safe place to stay?" Asked Hilda.

"Not sure. This is my first sleazy hotel." Frida said.

"This used to be a very different kind of place. This used to be part of the red light district, so to speak." Randall said.

"Oh, so this used to be a-"

"Don't finish that sentence, David." Hilda interrupted.

Randall sat in a chair in the boys' hotel room. "Are you two gonna stand in the doorway all night?" David and Trevor were staring at the large single bed the boys were meant to share. This continued for quite a while.

9/9

Randall was walking through the shopping district, showing David and Trevor around, Hilda and Frida had split off, taking Alfur with them a while back.

"We need to find the girls before we meet up with Emma." Randall says.

"Good luck with that, they've been doing this to me since I had to hold the rope for them at that stupid Vittra tunnel." David sounded a little bitter about the event.

"Hey, Randall." The three boys turned to see Emma, wearing her black school uniform, with a big smile on her face.

"Em!" Randall hugged his friend. "It's been a while"

"It's okay, I'm just happy to see you again."

"Sorry to interrupt, but we really need to find Hilda and Frida." Trevor interrupts.

"What happened to them?" Emma asks.

"They ran off a bit ago." Randall groans a bit, knowing how unpredictable Hilda can be.

The four ran around for a while before Frida flagged them down.

"There you guys are, and you ran into Emma already!" Emma waved at Frida. Hilda suddenly walked up, her hair ruffled.

"What happened?" Randall asked.

"Oh! Hilda overheard some guys picking on a kid." Alfur said.

"They were trying to take his money." Hilda added, crossing her arms.

"You stepped in, didn't you?" Randall asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes, she stood up to three grown men." Frida said.

"Did they hurt you!?" Emma asked, holding a hand out at Hilda.

"No, I beat them up." Hilda said triumphantly.

"Okay, then. Well, let Emma and I show you to our surprise." Randall nervously gestured towards his grand plan.

"Oh, so this is a nightclub?" Alfur says. Randall had lead the group to a nightclub called 'Escapade'.

"Randall, are we even allowed in a nightclub?" Frida was looking around dubiously.

"It's okay, my parents own it." Emma smiled. "I got us the whole loft to ourselves tonight!" Emma points at the stairs, and suddenly the whole group grew excited and ascended the stairs.

Hilda was drinking from two cups at once. "These are really good!" She started to drink faster.

"Ease up, Hilda!" Frida said.

"Let her have fun. The drinks are free after all." Emma's speech was slightly slurred.

"Wait. Is there alcohol in these?" Frida said. The whole group suddenly froze.

"What? No, silly. I told them not to." Emma was laughing a little.

"Randall do you think there's alcohol in these?" Trevor asked, looking at his drink.

"I don't know." Randall's face was flush, and at some point he'd unbuttoned the top of his undershirt.

"Oh, crap." Trevor said, sounding defeated.

"There's only one thing to do now!" Hilda stood up clearly unable to control her voice. "Let's play the King's Game! David, get the chopsticks!"

"Who even taught you the King's Game?" David asked.

"Don't worry, I got them!" Randall had produced chopsticks, and now his red undershirt was missing.

"Where did you even get those!?" David asked. Hilda handed out the chopsticks.

"So, who's the king?" She half screamed.

"I am." Randall held out the red chopstick. "As king, I order number 3 to sit on my lap!"

"Uh…." Alfur was visibly confused. "I mean, that's normal for me," he said. However Hilda picked him up and nearly threw him at Randall. Hilda and Emma cheered. Hilda then handed out the sticks again.

"I, uh. I'm the king now." Alfur says.

"Go easy on us, oh king." Randall says.

"NO!" Hilda screams. "You have to take it up a notch!"

"Yeah, have someone kiss!" Emma says.

"Or spoon!" Hilda adds.

"Alfur, isn't that unreasonable?" David asks.

"As Elf King, I order number 3 and number 5 to kiss!" Alfur then made a kissy face.

"Never mind. Also… I'm number 5." David put his head down.

"I'm number 3." Trevor says under his breath.

"Oooooo!" Hilda and Emma were already standing by Trevor. David walked over very slowly, until he was near Trevor.

"Okay, David, close your eyes!" Trevor said, before punching David away from him.

"Nice! Two rounds in and we've already lost a player!" Hilda says.

"Some game." Frida says.

"Okay now I'm the queen!" Hilda stammers.

"Wait, we haven't drawn yet!" David says.

"Whoever I pick has to share an embarrassing secret!" Hilda laughs. "Emma!"

"You don't have to, she's clearly lost it." David says.

"No, it's fine." Emma stands up. "So, two years ago, when I was in my first year of high school, someone sent me a fake love letter, and then they trapped me in the school overnight!" Emma broke out laughing.

"It doesn't sound that funny." David said.

"It's no big! I met my first girlfriend that way!" Emma laughed.

"Wait. Girlfriend? But aren't you a girl?" David asks.

"Well yeah, girls are hot!" Emma says.

"Oh. I guess asking you out is out of the question then." Trevor says from behind David.

"Yup! But only because I'm not single! I'm bi!" Emma was now barely speaking as opposed to laughing. "Okay, now Hilda… are you and Randall a thing?"

"No, silly! We met when we saw magic people on the TV! And then his TV tried to eat him and we followed him and they do this thing where they yell 'Persona!' and fight shadow people!" Hilda said. Everyone who was still relatively aware froze.

"Yeah! Like Astria!" Alfur was making the summoning motion.

"Orpheus!" Randall danced poorly as he shouted the Persona's name. David, Trevor, and Frida were frozen now.

"Oh!" Emma said standing up. "I remember this! Lucia!" Emma fell backwards and promptly asleep after that.

"What was that?" David said to Frida.

"Not sure. Maybe she's a Persona summoner, too?" Frida said.

"Maybe if we're lucky, none of them will remember this." David looked and Alfur and Hilda were now also asleep.

"Hey, guys, I just remembered!" Randall suddenly said. "They don't serve alcohol here!" He laughed.

"Wait. So what made us drunk?" Trevor asked.

"In the end, does it matter?" Randall said before falling over and unconscious.

"Great. Now we have to get three unconscious people and Alfur back to the hotel." David facepalmed.

"Wait, what are we supposed to do with Emma?" Trevor asked.

9/10

The group was headed back to the bus after packing up and eating breakfast.

"Wait! I should buy Hilda a gift!" Randall said.

"Aw, you're sweet." Hilda said.

"I mean my cousin." Randall says.

"Well, I take it back now." Hilda crossed her arms. Randall began counting his money.

"Well, I'm gonna head off. See you in the spring, Randall!" Emma hugged her friend and headed off.

"Hey, Hilda, is last night fuzzy for you?" Alfur was rubbing his eyes.

"Yeah, apparently we fell asleep early or something?" She seemed confused.

"You guys are idiots." Frida grumbled.

"Well, Frida, if you think you're so smart, why don't you pick up the snacks for the return trip?" Hilda said.

"C'mon, I don't have that much money," Frida groaned.

"The queen's orders are absolute!" Randall said.

"Dude, just shut up." David said.

To Be Continued


	14. Notice Me

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

14: Notice Me

9/12

"Tonight, we have a special report on the unexpected airshow by the Great Raven today!"

"What's that bird done now?" Randall's uncle asked. Some footage rolled on the TV of the Raven doing stunts, but it seemed like he had someone on his back. Suddenly, the bird landed, and it was Hilda who stepped off.

"We have a special interview with the girl who was riding the bird, Hilda!"

"Isn't that your friend, Randall?" Uncle Arren asked.

"Yes, yes it is." Randall suddenly got up and walked away from the TV.

9/13

"So, Hilda, why were you on the news last night?" David asked as the group left school.

"Actually, I think I get it. I just don't like it." Randall began. "Everyone who was kidnapped was on the news first." he said.

"Exactly, and Mr. Cory wasn't." Hilda says.

"I don't follow." David says.

"She doesn't think that kid was the real murderer, and she's signed herself up to be on the Midnight Channel." Randall put his head down.

"What, Hilda!? Are you insane?" Frida yelled.

"Maybe. If I'm right, though, there's no way that kidnapper will get me." Hilda said.

"You're insane." David says.

"It's too late to fix it now." Randall says. "What do you think your Midnight Channel self will do, Hilda?"

"Oh…. I didn't think about that. It can't be that bad, right?" Hilda said nervously.

"I'll record it for you." he says.

Randall checked the Midnight Channel before he went to bed. As Hilda predicted, a figure showed up on it, but was indiscernible.

9/14

"So you really didn't do anything different last night?" Frida asked.

"Yeah, I even watched the Midnight Channel." Hilda said.

"Usually, the picture gets clearer the second night. Be careful, Hilda." Randall was worried.

"I told you, if anyone tries to kidnap me, I'll be able to stop them." Hilda says.

"What even is the Midnight Channel?" David asks. The group ponders this for a while, before heading home.

"Oh, my god." Randall said as Hilda came on the Midnight Channel. She was wearing only an extremely revealing swimsuit.

"Hello, Trolberg! I'm Hilda! I'm so lonely, so today I've decided to go on a hunt for my perfect match! And maybe when I've found her, you'll all get to see something special!" Hilda's Shadow pulled down one strap of her swimsuit top seductively, before disappearing from the TV. Randall sat frozen until his house phone rang.

"Duuuuuude!" David said. "What was that? Why did Hilda look so good? And what did she mean, 'find her'?"

"I think it will make sense in time, David." Randall hung up and played back his recording, but it was blank.

9/16

"There's definitely someone here, but I can't tell where. Also, I think this place is growing." Alfur stepped down from Astria.

"Maybe we should've brought Twig." Randall says.

"Twig hasn't been able to find anyone since Frida." David noted.

"Ugh. This sucks! This means the case isn't solved, and Hilda could die!" Trevor says.

"We'll just have to go home for now, come up with a new plan." Randall says. The group returned to their usual place at Junes.

"So, wait, what part did that other kid play in all this?" Frida asked.

"I think maybe he was a copycat killer. Why would they have only found DNA on Mr. Cory but not Raven Leader or Nessa?" Randall suggested.

"But he confessed to all the murders." David said

"This might not have anything to do with Hilda, but have you all noticed Trolberg has seemed, bizarrely happy lately?" Alfur said.

"They are probably just happy the murders stopped." Trevor suggested.

"It doesn't feel right." Alfur was clearly nervous.

"I'm gonna swing by Hilda's house, wanna come with David?" Randall asked.

"Her mom isn't home. How will we get in?" David asked.

"Has that ever stopped us? We can just use Alfur." Randall said.

"Okay, Alfur, open the door!" Randall let the elf enter through the keyhole of Hilda's apartment and the door clicked open. The 3 entered, and were greeted by a sad Twig.

"Alright, I have a very crazy idea. Tontu!" Alfur screamed and the Nisse responded from behind them.

"Hey." He was in the kitchen, eating Jorts. Randall jumped.

"What is that!?" He pointed.

"I'm a Nisse, you know, house spirit?" Tontu said.

"Tontu, we need the you-know-what." Alfur said. The Nisse disappeared.

"The what?" David asked.

"Hilda has been honing her magic a bit, and hid some rather, powerful books and scans of books in the Nowhere Space." Alfur said. "There's one about tracking in there, but we agreed she'd never use it unless it was life or death." Tontu reappeared with a very old looking book, with a broken lock on it.

"Why couldn't we use this this entire time, or the librarian?" Randall asked.

"This spell is a bit… ugly. First we need a lock of Hilda's hair." Alfur began as he found the page.

"That's not so bad." Randall said.

"We also need something of hers she'd never show anyone." Alfur said.

"Okay, I see why it's creepy." Randall said.

"Then we need a lock of her best friend's hair." Alfur continued.

"Wait, which one of us is her best friend?" David said.

"Yeah, this is where it gets bad. The Witch casting the tracking spell must swallow the hair, hold the object in the air, shout one of Hilda's darkest secrets, and then read the spell with vigor." Alfur said.

"Wow, that sounds like something out of a bad fanfiction." David says.

"Wait, there's a footnote," Alfur suddenly says, turning pages. "If we guess any of the steps wrong, the spell may backfire and kill the witch."

"Well, that's awful." David said, to which everyone nodded. "So, what? Do we need to raid Hilda's laundry or something?"

"No, I assume the object needs to be personal, more so than some underwear." Randall says.

"I can take one of you into the Nowhere Space, I suppose. Hilda hides a lot of things in there." Tontu said.

"I guess I'll go rip some hair from her brush." David made a grossed out face. Tontu held out his hand at Randall and as soon as he took it, the world suddenly rushed by him, until he was in a squishy room, full of junk. Randall was mesmerized.

"It's all the unused space in the house, in case you were wondering." Tontu said. "Hilda puts a lot of stuff in the corner by the couch." The Nisse points at a sofa.

"How did that get in here?"

"Sometimes Nisse mistake things as offerings."

After searching the Nowhere Space for a while, Randall was ready to give up.

"Quitting?" Tontu asked.

"I don't want to. She's my friend." Randall said.

"Sometimes you have to think about yourself. You did all you could."

"No, that's not good enough! I'm not failing now!" Randall slammed his fist on the couch. Suddenly he noticed a wad of paper on the ground. He un-crumpled it, revealing a photo.

"Wow. I can never… unsee this." Randall said.

"Oh, wow, yeah. That might work for your spell." Tontu said, peeking over Randall's shoulder. Tontu brought them out of the Nowhere Space.

"Dude, you were gone forever!" David said. "I got the hair. It's easy to tell apart from her mum's, at least."

"I have the object." Randall said. Holding the folded photo up.

"Is this a picture?" David took it before Randall could stop him. "Oh my God. Who even took this? Why did they take this?" He handed Randall back the picture.

"Yeah, I know, I plan on burning it once we have Hilda back. First, we need some friend hair and then a witch to cast the spell." Randall says.

"Who do you think Hilda's best friend is? Me, maybe?" David asks.

"No, It's Frida. And I'm willing to risk a witch's life on that." Randall says confidently. "Grab Twig, we need to get everyone together at the library."

Everyone walked into the library, and were predictably scared when the librarian appeared from behind them.

"What do you need?" she asked.

"We need to know if any of us are witches. Is there like a test for it?" David asked.

"Yes, since witches float, they weigh the same as a duck." she says. The room goes silent as no one catches the librarian's joke. "No, there's no test a non-witch can perform, which is why the witch trials were bullshit."

"I knew about that actually." Randall said proudly.

"Who's first?" She asked. No one stepped forward. "Usually people jump on the idea of being a witch. Are you guys trying to do some dangerous spell because Hilda is missing?"

"Yes." David said, sounding annoyed.

"Well, I don't condone it. You at least read all the footnotes right?" Everyone nodded at her. "Fine, I pick you." She pointed at David. He stepped forward and she grabbed his hands and began chanting. Her eyes turned purple, but nothing happened to David. "He's not magic. Now you." Randall stepped forward. The librarian began her chant, but this time Randall's eyes began glowing white. "He's magic." The librarian left them at that.

"I knew it was going to be me. Frida, give me your hair." Randall said, disappointed.

"Wait, Randall, before you do this." Kelly came forward. "You know how I turn human in the TV World right? What if that means magic doesn't work there, and you're risking your life for nothing?"

"It's not for nothing, it's for Hilda." he says. He pulls out a copy of the spell.

"It's for Hilda." He says to himself. Randall swallows Hilda and Frida's hair, nearly vomiting.

"Sorry, Hilda." He holds the photo in the air and yells out his friend's secret. "Hilda has a crush on Frida!" As he starts reading the spell, his eyes glow white and the photo bursts into flames. Then, as quickly as it is done, everything is normal, and the photo is ash.

"Hey, you aren't dead!" Alfur says.

"Does that mean it worked?" David asked.

"Gross dude, really gross." Trevor says.

"What do you mean Hilda has a crush on me? I'm a girl?" Frida looks alarmed.

"Gay people exist, Frida." David says.

"She's gonna be super mad I told you guys that." Randall adds.

"I just. I don't get it. Guys date girls and vice versa." Frida says.

"Don't be a homophobe, Frida, she's your best friend." Trevor says with an angry undertone.

"Does that mean you are all okay with this?" Frida begs.

"No, I think it's weird, but life is weird and she isn't hurting me." Trevor says.

"If you don't think I've never kissed another Marra you are a fool." Kelly giggles.

"I'd be lying if I said I've never thought about kissing a guy." David said.

"I don't know how I feel, but I'll always support Hilda." Alfur smiled at Frida, and she frowns back.

"The TV." Randall blurts out. "I can sense the TV. It's like a sixth sense. I can see the TV in Junes, but it's like I can only see the TV's aura."

"That's weird, buddy." Trevor says.

"It's the spell, dork." David responds. The group rushes to Junes.

"She's that way." Randall says, pointing off the stage. "I can almost see her outline. She's laying down."

"I'm glad the spell works in here after all." David says.

"Sorry, guys." Kelly comes from off the stage. "It really bites that every time we come here my fucking heart starts, then I get hungry, and then I need to pee."

"To be fair, David nearly peed himself the first time we came here." Randall says. The group enters the fog.

"Dude, is that… the school?" David asked as the group arrived at what appeared to be the Ahlberg school.

"Oh, I know where she is now. I didn't realize. She's on the stage in the gym." Randall said.

"Better get your Personas ready, I sense a lot of Shadows in there." Alfur said. The group entered the door, and were greeted by an abnormally long school hallway.

"Of course it's bigger on the inside." David says.

"All we can do is walk." Randall gestures the group forward.

"So, why the school?" Frida asks.

"I interpreted what her shadow did and said as meaning she wants someone to notice her… as a woman." Randall said, trying to push Shadow Hilda's swimsuit out of his head. Suddenly, shadows began coming out of the lockers.

"Frida, Kelly, cover us!" Randall yelled as he pulled Trevor, David, Twig, and Alfur ahead. The hall seemed to go on forever.

"Ah, some new faces! Some of them could be that partner I've been waiting for! I just want to be a trophy wife!" Hilda's voice says over the loudspeakers.

"Oh, please shut up. I don't want to be a housewife." Real Hilda said angrily.

"Yes, you do, because I'm you!"

"Please we have nothing in common but a face. I'm even wearing more clothes than you!"

"Maybe you need to be honest! You just want to settle down with someone who actually wants to date you. As if anyone would, though."

"Shut up!" Hilda's voice cracked.

"We don't have much time, guys." David said.

"You are not me!" Hilda screams as Randall busts through the auditorium doors.

"You will not interrupt my show!" Hilda's shadow had already morphed into its attack form, a cloth covered feminine creature, with a large sword.

"Good luck stopping me when I do this!" It swung the sword, releasing a wave that disintegrated everyone's Personas. Then it hit them, and Randall blacked out.

To Be Continued


	15. Can You See The Real Me?

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

15: Can You See The Real Me?

9/16

"Randall!" Randall could hear Frida but not see her, then he realized, he was blind.

"Can you guys see?" Randall said.

"No!" The entire group said in unison.

"Persona!" Randall couldn't control his senses and summon a Persona!

"Now that those pests are dealt with, it's time to deal with you!" Hilda's shadow said. Suddenly Randall heard growling.

"Twig?" He said. The Deer fox stepped forward, sniffing out his owner. Twig howled and summoned his Persona, Cerberus.

"You stupid animal!" Shadow Hilda unleashed a massive swing, which Cerberus caught in it's mouth.

"Wait! The spell!" Randall focused and realized he could still sense where Hilda was. "Hilda! I need you to tell me where the Shadow is in relation to me!"

"Okay!" She said.

"Belial!" Randall summoned the Persona.

"Directly in front of you!" Hilda yelled.

"Agidyne!" Randall said.

"Dodge!" Hilda said. Randall moved and heard a crash near him. Cerberus suddenly unleashed a fire attack on the Shadow.

"You blind brat!" The shadow was angrier than ever. "All I want is to be noticed as a woman, I don't even care if it's a girl!" The shadow unleashed another flurry at Twig.

"Hilda!" Frida's voice suddenly filled the air. "It's okay to want to be pretty in other people's eyes! You don't think I feel the same way sometimes?"

"Oh, Frida, she's so pretty, all the boys notice her, but they never see me!" Shadow Hilda mocked, dodging an attack from Belial.

"Hilda, are you going to let this thing kill you because you don't feel attractive?" Frida yelled.

"Am I?" Hilda said. "Why am I afraid of you, you want to be a housewife! I'm an adventurer! But, maybe you are, a tiny part of me." Hilda said. The shadow became distracted.

"I can see!" Randall said.

"Us too!" The others started getting up. Twig, severely worn down, backed off in favor of Randall.

"You saved the day, Twig." Randall said, petting the animal as it went back. "Mara!" Randall's Persona switched to an alarmingly phallic monster.

"Hey, I take offense to that!" Kelly said.

"I didn't make him!" Randall said back. "Poisma!" A purple beam shot from Mara and hit shadow Hilda, putting her on her knees. "Time to go out with a bang! Sandalphon!" Randall's Persona shifted one last time. "End it!" The Persona ripped a column from the wall and hurled it, disintegrating shadow Hilda instantly. Hilda walked up to her shadow, once again in its normal form.

"You know I hate you. I hate that I feel the need to be pretty, and that I have to feel ashamed for liking girls. Which is why I know you're a part of me." Hilda stood face to face with her other self. As her other self took the form of a Persona, Hilda fell to her knees.

"That was a huge gamble, Hilda." David said.

"I had faith in you guys!" she said. "Now we know, the killer is still out there."

"Yeah, I guess we aren't done yet," said Randall.

"Big Bro!" Cousin Hilda greeted Randall as he came home. Detective Leif was visiting, and was clearly quite drunk.

"Hey, did you hear, they found that Hilda girl! She was missing for days!" He said.

"That's great to hear. She's my friend." Randall said.

"You don't seem surprised. Did you find this news out before you got home?" Randall's uncle asked.

"No." said Randall.

"Calm down, Detective Ellison! News spreads fast in this town, and you don't have to interrogate everyone!" Detective Leif struggled to say. "I thought for sure that girl was going to be the fourth victim."

"Shut up, Boden." Randall's uncle said.

"We don't have much evidence on that kid, and your uncle thinks that maybe-"

"Shut up, Boden! I'm not telling you again!" Randall's uncle said. "There's nothing to worry about, just keep going to school and being a good student. I'm going to bed."

"Sorry, I killed the mood." Detective Leif said.

"It's fine." Randall assured.

"He does have a point, though. You don't want to get involved in this stuff."

"Are you guys done talking about scary stuff?" Cousin Hilda asked.

"Yes! Sorry, no scary stuff here! I'll see to it myself."

"Okay." Cousin Hilda said.

10/6

"How are midterms already next week!?" David complains as the group leaves school.

"Don't remind me! I just got back!" Hilda said.

"And we're glad to have you back!" Randall says. "Are we still meeting up to go over the case today?"

"Yes, I have some ideas about it for sure, either way, we aren't done yet!" Hilda says.

"Damn, Randall! This is good!" Randall had made up a picnic for the group.

"Anyway, as I was saying before I was interrupted, I was at home the night of the kidnapping, and I remember hearing my doorbell. No one was there when I answered, and right when I got concerned someone grabbed me from behind." Hilda said. "I also remember a grunt. I think it was a woman."

"You remember a lot, Hilda." Frida said.

"I spent two days preparing for it," Hilda said. "After that I remember hitting something hard, which is when I think I was put in the TV."

"Sounds like it went by fast." Randall said.

"Minutes once she caught me." Hilda said. "I think it's safe to say that kid was a copycat."

"Then how did he know about the TV world?" David asked.

"That bugs me. If he knew about the TV world, why didn't he just kill Mr. Cory that way?"

"Maybe he just didn't know how it worked." Trevor said. A moment passed.

"While we are here." Randall said, "remember the tracking spell?"

"Oh, yeah! You never told me about this!" Hilda said.

"Well, the truth is, it hasn't worn off yet." Randall said.

"...Wait, you've known my location ever since the battle? Creepy." Hilda said.

"It's like a sixth sense. I just sort of know where you are, and vaguely what you are doing."

"Well, you know, I sort of figured you guys used something from my book. So I looked into it with Alfur a bit, and well..." Hilda stopped.

"I misread. I was in a hurry. Randall, it never wears off." Everyone gasped at Alfur's words.

"And that is why-" Hilda leaned forward and grabbed a bunch of Randall's hair, and revealed she was holding some of her own.

"Hilda, what are you doing!?" Randall was suddenly very alert. Hilda held up his sketchbook. "Hilda, how'd you get that?"

"Randall is gay!" She said with vigor before speaking the spell.

"Hilda, what the hell?" Randall said.

"If you are going to creep on me forever, I'm doing the same." Hilda said. Randall felt as speechless as the rest of the table.

To Be Continued

NOTE: If you are reading this story in preparation for act one of 'Into The Hildaverse' (still coming soon as of when this is being published) This is the furthest point you need to read into Shadow Over Trolberg to begin Chapter One of Hildaverse.


	16. Mom

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

16: Mom

"How do you like your coffee?" Randall's uncle entered the room. He'd been silently watching cartoons with his cousin Hilda.

"With cream." Randall said.

"I want mine black!" Hilda added.

"I promised Hilda's mom I'd always have coffee on the table, I made it into a habit, I think." Randall's uncle let out a rare laugh.

"Will you read to me, daddy?" Hilda had produced a book just as Randall's uncle's phone rang.

"What!?" He barked angrily into the phone before hanging up. "I'm headed into work. I might not make it back tonight." Hilda froze in place as he left.

10/11

Randall let out a little yelp as he cut his finger chopping vegetables. He got up and went over to where he hoped the band aids were as Hilda came down the stairs.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah I'm just clumsy." he said as he opened the first aid kit, and a picture fell out. "What's that?" He asked as Cousin Hilda picked up the photo.

"It's Mom!" she screamed. "I thought Dad got rid of all of these!"

"Why would he do that?" Randall asked.

"I think they make him sad," Hilda said with a somber tone. "I don't know much about the car accident because he doesn't talk about it. I still love him, though!"

"I think he loves you too." Cousin Hilda smiled at his words.

"I love you, too, big bro." Now Randall was smiling, too.

"Why do midterms have to exist?" David said as he slammed his fist on the table.

"Just study already," Hilda said.

"I want a soda." he muttered.

"Then go get one." Hilda retorted.

"If you do it, you can copy my notes." he said.

"Why would I want them?"

"I copied them from Frida," David teased.

"Fine." Hilda left the table as Randall walked up.

"Hey, dude, I see you brought Lil' Hilda!" David said.

"She wanted to pet Twig." The Deerfox who'd been napping on the table shot up to greet Lil' Hilda.

"Enough distractions. We haven't even started on trigonometry yet." Frida poked her head out of her book.

"It's days like today I wish I were Kelly and didn't have school," David said.

"I'm back." Randall's uncle entered the house late.

"Can I ask you something?" Randall approached. "I found this picture earlier." Randall's uncle grimaced at the picture of Hilda's mom. "It made Hilda really happy and I wanted to know if I can leave it out."

"Honestly I think you know her better than I do right now. It's up to you."

"Daddy!" Hilda came down the stairs. "My tummy hurts." The girl was sweating and holding her stomach.

"I'll get the first aid kit!" As Detective Ellison walked, his phone rang and he answered.

"Boden, now is a terrible time." The other detective's voice was garbled. "A handwritten letter for me?! Why didn't you say something?" Another pause. "You forgot! I'm coming over now." He hung up. "Take care of her Randall." He sprinted out the door

"But..." The door slammed before Randall could speak.

"Do you feel better?" About an hour had passed since Randall found the right medicine.

"A little." Hilda said. "Bro, do you think daddy is my real father?"

"What?" Randall asked.

"He doesn't treat me like his daughter… he just rushed out while I was sick." She paused.

"We're having this thing at school where our parents come in and talk about their jobs, but… Daddy won't come. He always chooses work over me."

"We'll ask him when he comes home," Randall assured.

"Okay! I'm going to go to bed for now, though." She walked off.

10/12

"Hey, Detective Leif." Randall said, walking into the police station. "Is my uncle here?"

"He just stepped out, but he'll be back soon." He gestured for Randall to sit. "Arren never gives up. It's really intense. Is he like that at home too?"

"What?" Randall asked.

"He's not convinced that weird kid was the serial murderer," Detective Leif says. "He's working on it alone and nonstop, and he's fixated on some hit and run case, on top of it." Suddenly the detective took off.

"Hey, Randall, did you bring my clothes?" His uncle had returned.

"One fresh change of clothes." He handed his uncle the bag. "And this, from Hilda. They're having this parent teacher thing at her school." He took the paper.

"I'll fill this out later." He pocketed it.

"Are you coming home tonight?" Randall asked.

"I doubt it. Is she alright?"

"She's bounced back, but..."

"But what?"

"Nevermind." A moment of silence passed.

"Do you have a minute?" His uncle asked.

Randall's uncle had taken him to an empty restaurant.

"I've been meaning to tell you something." His uncle produced a binder.

"What is it?"

"It's about Hilda's mom, the hit and run. I received it last night. I had an old friend take another look at the case." Randall looked through the file. "The car that hit her was large, probably an American car, none of which are registered in Trolberg. No one had wrecked one recently either. Now a similar thing happened again last week."

"You know, Hilda doesn't even know it was a hit and run," Randall said.

"You weren't there! She was on her way to pick Hilda up when it happened. When word finally reached me, Hilda had been waiting alone at preschool for hours, for a parent who would never come. It's her father's job to catch criminals and I don't even have a lead on this guy! I can't face her about it until I catch him."

"Think about what that's doing to her!" Randall broke his silence.

"What?"

"You're so focused on this case-"

"She's the reason I'm doing this!" A moment of silence passed.

"Mind your own damn business," Randall's uncle said sternly.

"Yes, sir," Randall conceded.

"Big bro, did Daddy fill out the paper?" Hilda asked, sitting down to eat with Randall.

"He said anytime would be good."

"Yay! Daddy's coming to school! I'm so happy! All my friends' parents are coming, too!"

"By the way!" Randall produced the picture from yesterday, now framed. "Here."

"Thank you!" She said, hugging the picture. "Big bro, what happens when you die?"

"You go to a place called Heaven."

"That's what I thought! So mommy is in Heaven!"

"That's right, and I bet she'll be watching your Parent-teacher meeting." Hilda smiled.

"When I die, will I go to Heaven, and see Mom again?"

"Well, that's a long ways off from now," Randall said.

"Okay. I really want to see Mom."

10/13

"-And that's what happened." Randall finished telling his story to his friends.

"So the lady in the hit and run last year, was Lil' me's mom?" Hilda said.

"Poor Hilda," David said.

"I remember that being the talk of the town for a little while," Trevor chipped in.

"The police have no leads either," Randall said.

"Awful. I just wanna punch that creep," Hilda held up a fist.

"Nothing good comes from running away. What a pussy!" Trevor said.

"I feel bad for your uncle. He's a detective," David said.

"I think it's eating him up inside," Randall said.

"I'm home." A very tired uncle Ellison entered the house.

"Look, Daddy! I put up Mom's picture!" She pointed at a little table with the image sitting on it.

"Great."

"How was your day, Daddy?" she asked.

"Can we talk about it later?" He said.

"Did you sign the paper for my school thing?" She asked.

"The paper I gave you yesterday." Randall added.

"Yeah, but you should know I probably won't make it. I can't afford the time off right now." Cousin Hilda's eyes filled with tears.

"You told her you would!" Randall raised his voice.

"It's okay… you have to work on a case, or find a bad guy." Hilda was crying now. "You care more about them than me anyway!" She ran off crying.

"Great- what has gotten into her lately?" He asked.

"She was really hoping you'd go to this," Randall said.

"I can't help it, I've got to work."

"You need to spend more time with her."

"Hey-"

"Tell her about the hit and run!"

"Mind your own business!" As they argued neither heard Hilda return.

"There was a hit and run?" She asked.

"It's not something you need to know about."

"Why not?"

"Because you don't!" Hilda began shaking.

"Daddy, why are you mad at me? Why do you never listen to anything I say?!" She was crying profusely. "You're a stupid daddy! Stupid!"

"Don't talk to your father like that!"

"Why shouldn't I!? It's not like you care! I don't know what I did, but it's clear you hate me! You aren't my real dad!" She suddenly sprinted out the front door.

"Why would you say that!?" He and Randall were not fast enough to catch her. They looked around their home and didn't see her.

"I'll take the old shopping district." Randall said.

"I'll take Junes!" The two split up.

"Did you find her?" Randall's uncle caught up after about an hour of searching.

"No."

"Has she mentioned wanting to go somewhere lately?"

"She did mention she wanted to see her mom."

"The docks. That's where the accident happened." The pair ran off. "But she wouldn't..." As he spoke an ambulance passed them, headed for the docks. Randall's uncle burst into a sprint.

When Randall caught up, his uncle was looking at Hilda, who was sitting near the dock, watching the water.

"I think you should talk to her. She trusts you the most right now," his uncle said.

"You're running from her. You're her father, and she needs you," Randall said. His uncle walked forward.

"Daddy, do you remember when it was just the three of us? We'd come here and watch the boats," she said.

"Yeah, I do."

"Why'd you have to go, Mom? Why'd you leave me? I just want to see her so bad! It feels like you've forgotten about her, Daddy!" She was trying to dry her eyes. "You hid her pictures and never talk about her! Do you hate her?"

"You have it wrong."

"Do you hate me, too, now?" Suddenly her father pulled her into a hug.

"I could never hate you, and I'm sorry I made you feel that way."

10/14

"Big bro, you know how I've been lonely since Mom died. I was thinking that maybe daddy is, too." Randall stopped cooking to hear his cousin out. "I'm not going to cry over it anymore. Now it's my job to help daddy not feel lonely!"

"Sounds like a great plan." Randall said.

"You and I can do it together!" She cheered.

"Sure."

"I'm home!" Randall's uncle brought in a cake. "This is a special day, the day we all become a family."

"Weren't we already?" Hilda asks.

"Today's the day we make it official."

"I don't know what he means, big bro, but cake!" Hilda cheers again.

"Before I forget." Randall's uncle pulls out the paper for the parent teacher event and hands it to Hilda. "I'll be there, I promise." Hilda cheers her most excited cheer yet, and her dad begins cutting the cake.

To Be Continued


	17. The School Festival

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

17: The School Festival

Randall awoke to the train car, heading to its unknown destination through the impenetrable fog. He was alone once more, often a bad omen in his experience. He laid back in his seat, beckoning for an exit from the Velvet Room.

10/26

The school festival was coming up soon. Each of the upper classes at the Ahlberg school would host an event in their classrooms during the festival. The class rep of Randall's class was now standing in front of the room.

"Okay, we've tallied the votes and this year, our class will host a group date cafe."

"What? You're kidding me!" Hilda protested.

"That was supposed to be a joke." David said, with his head on his desk.

"Of course this is your fault." Hilda said.

"I think it'll be funny." Frida added.

"I mean, we had fun playing the King's Game." Randall also added.

"You idiots voted for it, didn't you?" Hilda asked. Randall and Frida nodded. Hilda returned to her desk and settled in for the day.

Lunchtime came around and Hilda joined the group last. She looked particularly excited.

"Hilda, why do you have that look on your face?" Trevor asked. She just smiled.

"I have bad news for you, Trevor, David, and Randall." Alfur said from her hair. "She entered you three in the school festival drag show."

"She did what!?" David said.

"Hilda, why?!" Trevor asked.

"It was to get back at those two for the group date cafe." Hilda said.

"Why me, then?" Trevor pressed.

"I needed another person to reach the minimum number of entrants." Hilda said.

"I'm not doing it." David said. "Back me up, bro." He looked at Randall, who had been silent.

"I am going to be the most beautiful girl in Trolberg!" Randall announced.

"You have no shame." David replied.

10/28

"Hilda, what are you doing?" Trevor asked with a tired tone. Hilda was measuring his waist.

"You're really big, so finding you a dress is going to be difficult." Hilda said. She'd signed up to be Trevor's assistant at the drag show after Trevor tried to back out several times. David began snickering as Hilda zoomed around Trevor.

"What're you laughing at, David? You need a dress too." Trevor yelled to David on the other side of the Junes women's department.

"David will be fine. He's already worn tights and a skirt in public." Frida assured.

"Why?" Trevor asked.

"He needed to look like me, so me and him switched clothes once. I think it's the best he's ever looked." Hilda said.

"Of course you'd think that Hilda, he was dressed as you." Frida said.

"I had great fashion taste when I was eleven." Hilda continued.

"Unfortunately that was the day I learned my ability to fit well into trousers worked on tights, too." David grumbled.

"Don't you want us to help you pick something, Randall?" Frida asked.

"I have my own plan." Randall said, leaning against a support beam, separate from both pairs.

10/29

The school was bustling with activity as the festival began, all except for Randall's class, which only contained Hilda, David, Frida, Trevor, Alfur and Randall.

"I think this is a bust," Trevor said.

"Yeah. Hey Randall, what are you doing?" Hilda asked. Randall flipped around to show he had numbered some King's Game sticks.

"We won't be using those." Frida grimaced.

"I think we need to show people how much fun a group date cafe is." David suggested.

"So if they see us having fun, then they'll wanna join." Frida continued.

"I'll take Trevor." Hilda said.

"What?" Trevor said as Hilda pulled him to a table.

"So, Randall or me?" David asked Frida.

"I'll take Alfur." Frida said, picking up the elf.

"Why, thank you, milady." Alfur replied.

"Well great, now there's two guys and no more girls." David said.

"Come take a seat, sweetie." Randall said in his best girl voice, gesturing David to sit across from him.

"So, do you have any hobbies?" Trevor asked Hilda.

"Well, I like adventuring..." Hilda trailed off, laughing a little

"Okay uh Ran- I mean Rebecca… do you have any hobbies?" David asked.

"I like to uh… fuse Personas?" Randall said.

"That's not a hobby." David groaned. "So which one of us would you choose as a boyfriend?"

"That's a little personal." Frida said.

"Boys are dumb." Hilda added. David looked back to Randall, who immediately locked eyes with him. The room went silent.

"Okay, group date over!" David shot out of his chair and went to grab a drink.

10/30

Randall walked to the outside of town, the Marra hotel coming into view.

"Oh no, what do you want?" Twin Tail complained as she saw him approach.

"Is that Randall?!" Euryale's voice came from a window. Soon every Marra in Trolberg was at the front door.

"I need a favor." Randall stated.

"What kind of favor?" Twin Tail asked.

"Today is the Miss Ahlberg drag show." he said.

"And?" Kelly gestured.

"I need a makeover." Randall said. Suddenly 13 sets of green Marra eyes set upon him, he was lifted into the hotel, possibly never to be seen again.

"Welcome to day two of the festival! And the Miss Ahlberg Drag Show!" A younger boy was on the gym stage yelling into the microphone. "First up, we have one of the toughest girls in the school, it's Trevor!"

Trevor walked onstage. Hilda had put him in a white dress and a blonde wig. The crowd was murmuring. Randall watched from behind the stage. He did not make a very pretty girl. Trevor was making an angry face.

"What are you looking at?" Trevor said to the crowd.

"Now for our second entry, it's David!" David walked onstage. Frida had gone for a schoolgirl look. The crowd began cheering. David was right, he really could fit into anything. Despite the cheers, David didn't look entirely thrilled to be onstage.

"And now for our final contestant- she's visiting us from the big city, it's Randall!" With that Randall went onto stage and the crowd gasped. The Marra had given him a blue sundress. And taught him to walk in heels. They'd also straightened his hair so it flowed behind him.

"Is that really Randall?" Hilda whispered.

"Is that really a guy?" Another person whispered. He'd done it, Randall was the prettiest girl in Trolberg.

"Well, it's no contest! The winner of the pageant is Randall! She'll get to help choose the winner of the real pageant right after this!" The announcer bellowed. Randall stepped forward to accept his award when he noticed Frida waving him down.

"What's up, Frida?" Randall asked as he walked over.

"I can't find Hilda." she replied.

"That's not entirely abnormal." he shrugged.

"I convinced her to enter the beauty pageant and I think she got scared." Frida said, looking down.

"That doesn't seem like her thing, why would she do that?" Randall pondered.

"She was telling me I should do it, because of how pretty I was, so I suggested we do it together." Frida explained. "I think you understand her better than any of us lately, Randall. Also, you can track her." He nodded and left the gymnasium. Randall headed over to the tree Hilda was hiding behind.

"Hey, Randall, I felt you coming." Hilda said bleakly as Randall sat down next to her.

"Frida told me about the pageant." He said.

"Frida is really beautiful and I know she'll do well, I just wanted her to have some fun too." Hilda said.

"But?" Randall pressed.

"I don't think I can do the same. I'm not really… pretty." Hilda said.

"You've said yourself you don't care much about that." Randall pointed out.

"I still don't want the entire school reminding me while I'm onstage." Hilda said, gesturing angrily with her hands.

"Then don't do it." Randall suggested.

"Won't Frida be mad?" She asked.

"Sometimes you have to do things for yourself before you start worrying about the needs of others." Randall said.

"Maybe you're right." she said.

"Let's go watch Frida kill it." Randall said, reaching out a hand to his friend.

"I can't believe you are still wearing that dress." she said, laughing as she got up.

"Hot, right?" He joked.

"Maybe in your dreams." Hilda joked back. "Who did your hair, by the way?" She asked.

"Kelly." he replied.

"You look good with straight hair." Hilda said. "Maybe I should get a new style."

"Sure, we can go together." Randall said, walking his friend back into the school.

To Be Continued


	18. An Evening At The Bath House

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

18: An Evening At The Bath House

"Randall?" Margaret's voice shook Randall from his daze. "You seem tired, but maybe it's from all the bonds you've made. I can truly sense a light inside of you. You are one exceptional guest." Margaret took a sip of what appeared to be champagne. The entire time she spoke, Randall had been staring at Igor, who did not say a word the entire trip to the Velvet Room. It filled Randall with a sense of unease.

"The school festival has now concluded. All school festival staff please meet in the student council room." The announcement woke Randall up. He'd fallen asleep against the wall, next to Hilda, who was sketching. By the time the pair arrived at their homeroom the group date cafe was almost cleaned up.

"You two skipped all the fun parts, I guess, huh?" David jabbed.

"Sorry." Hilda put her hand behind her head and smiled.

"Well, now that we're done with the cleaning, it'd be a shame to end the day early," Trevor noted.

"Let's go have food at Junes!" Alfur cheered from Frida's shoulder.

"Big bro!" Lil' Hilda rounded a corner and entered the room.

"Hey, Hilda. What are you doing at the school festival?" Randall asked.

"It's little me!" Hilda ran up and hugged the small girl.

"We had a hard time finding you." Randall's uncle entered the room.

"We had food, and I got to go dancing!" Lil' Hilda cheered.

"Anyway, I have to go into work early tomorrow, and I was wondering if you wanted to take Hilda off my hands for a bit?" Randall's uncle looked in his direction.

"Let's go to Junes!" Lil' Hilda cheered.

"Actually, I have a different idea," Frida inserted. "Let's go to the bathhouse!"

"You guys have a bathhouse in Trolberg?" Randall asked, dubious.

"Don't get too excited. It's not really fancy," David pointed out.

"Also, it's gendered," Trevor added.

"Not surprising," Randall noted.

David was right. The bathhouse was not remarkable. It sat on a street corner, and didn't really stand out from other buildings. The group entered and Randall left his cousin with Hilda. Once he entered the men's side of the water, David and Trevor were already comfortable. He tossed his towel aside and took a step into the water, which was a little cold for his taste.

"Randall," Alfur was floating in the water. Randall had almost run into him.

"Sorry, Alfur." Randall took a spot across from David. The bath could maybe fit two or three more people, it wasn't very large. Alfur floated carelessly to the other side. Randall realized he'd never seen Alfur without his hat. Maybe the girls were feeling the same thing over Hilda's beret right now?

"Do you guys care if I run the water hotter?" Randall asked.

"I couldn't care less," Trevor responded.

"Go for it, dude." David gestured to the faucet, which was on the side between him and Randall. Randall lifted his right leg and attempted to adjust the knob with his foot.

"Just use your hands," Trevor said, annoyed.

"I've almost got it." Randall made a determined face.

"You're a menace to society," Trevor added.

"You're also a terrible one. Move over." David raised his leg and effortlessly changed the temperature. The four finally settled into the steam quietly.

"Randall," Alfur snickered. Randall opened one of his eyes in an attempt to look as annoyed as possible. "Your hair looks funny," Alfur said.

"He's right," Trevor laughed. Randall's hair was frizzing from the steam. He sank slowly into the water and remained there for a few seconds before resurfacing, and having his hair fall in his face like a wet mop.

"Randall. You can see what Hilda is doing, right?" Trevor asked.

"Yes, for the rest of my life," Randall said.

"What's she doing?" Trevor asked.

"Sitting on the other side of that wall." Randall pointed to his left.

"And?" Trevor pressed.

"It's not like I can actually 'see' her. It's more like I'm aware of what she is aware of. So be quiet and be horny on your own." Randall closed his eyes again.

"Yeah!" All four boys shot up and noted one of the Marra had crept into the room. She was toweled and leaning on a wall.

"Kelly, this is the boys' side," David said.

"I know. I was hoping you'd make an exception," she said.

"Why?" David was bewildered.

"Some of the girls followed me and they all crowded into the girls' bath," Kelly said.

"Sure, I don't care," Randall said.

"Dude!" David said.

"Just don't step on Alfur," Randall added. The elf waved at Kelly as he floated by David. David and Randall covered their eyes as Kelly entered the bath.

"Calm down, Trevor." David noted his friend was a bit out of it. Kelly slapped some water at his face.

"That's for looking," she said. Everyone was quiet for a few minutes before Kelly spoke again.

"Hey, David, are you still afraid of everything?" she asked.

"No, I'm not a kid anymore." David puffed out his chest a little.

"So, no fear of Marra, then, huh?" She smiled a little.

"Nope," David said. Kelly leaned towards him a bit.

"Not even if I were to say..." Kelly suddenly growled and let her eyes change color as she made a reaching motion at David. David let out a tiny scream and went underwater. Randall, Trevor, Alfur, and Kelly were buckled over laughing as he resurfaced.

"Not cool." He crossed his arms and splashed Kelly in the process. She immediately splashed him back.

"What are you, kids?" Randall joked.

"Another question." Kelly suddenly looked serious. "How can you swim with no hands?" She pointed at Alfur.

"Oh, I'm not the best at the swimming part. Floating is fine, though." Alfur began paddling furiously but moved very little. Randall chuckled at his efforts. The five settled once again, until their time ended.

The five returned to the changing room. Randall sat on the bench, fumbling through the locker, trying to hit his glasses. He found them and put them on. He noted David and strangely Alfur flexing into the mirror to his left.

"It's been fun, guys, thanks for being chill." Kelly waved to the boys before entering wisp form and exiting through a vent.

Darkness had fallen as the group left the bathhouse for their respective homes. Randall felt a tap on his shoulder as he walked, and looked to see Kelly floating behind him.

"What's up?" He asked.

"I wanted to actually thank you again. It was nice to do something like that with anyone besides the Marra," she said.

"Do you not like them?"

"No, they're fine, but I feel like before you all, I only ever got to talk to those same 12 girls."

"I suppose that makes sense," Randall nodded.

"I haven't been a Marra very long. At first, I just stayed with my mom, but as it became more obvious I wasn't aging, I had to disappear like all the other Marra," Kelly sighed.

"I mean, I'm not a huge fan of giving people nightmares, but you seem like you can think and feel as much as anyone else."

"Thanks, Randall." Kelly smiled and she walked the whole way home with Randall.

"What are you two talking about?" Little Hilda finally spoke up.

"Might be a little bit out of your maturity level, little one," Kelly said to her. Lil' Hilda stuck her tongue out at Kelly.

"Did you have fun with Hilda and Frida?" Randall asked.

"Yeah! We talked and we splashed around!" Lil' Hilda cheered. "Bet it was more fun than you had." Randall and Kelly looked at each other and smiled.

To Be Continued


	19. Don't Save Anyone Anymore

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

19: Don't Save Anyone Anymore

"Your journey has been a long one, and now it's time to see if you can solve the riddle without incident." Igor hadn't spoken to Randall in a while.

"I'm afraid your time is about to run out. Do you have the strength to see your journey through to the end?" Margaret crossed her arms. "This is what's called a make-or-break situation."

10/30

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Randall asked.

"Yes, I do!" Hilda looked at him with passion in her eyes, as she stepped into the salon. It looked like the hairdresser had asked the same question Randall had, before he shaved all of Hilda's hair off of one side of her head. She returned to him moments later.

"How does it look?" she asked.

"It's certainly a new style," Randall noted. Hilda ran her hand over the newly shaved part of her hair.

"Feel it, Randall!" She grabbed his hand and ran it over her head. It felt no different than his face if he skipped shaving for a day or so. Randall walked home with Hilda. Johanna was blown away by the haircut more than Randall had been, but Alfur's jaw nearly dropped. Apparently, Hilda hadn't changed her style in years. Randall finally returned to his home, and strangely found a letter for himself in the mail. He opened it as he walked up the stairs.

"David!" Randall said urgently into the phone. "Have everyone meet at Junes tomorrow." Randall let the letter fall to his floor.

10/31

"I checked all my resources, but I couldn't find the sender, Randall," Alfur said sadly.

"It's crazy she put it right in your mailbox," Kelly noted.

"The murderer must be closer to us than we expected," Hilda noted.

"That's really scary, they went to your house," Frida shivered.

"You be careful. If you need anything, you call us," David said.

As Randall approached his home, he noted Lil' Hilda receiving a package. The mail truck blew past him followed by several other cars and a weather van.

"Welcome home, big bro!" His cousin waved. She'd prepped TV dinners for the two of them, and was watching the news.

"Citizens of Trolberg are raising concern of the persistent fog that has filled the area in the last year. They've now gotten a local environmental group involved." Hilda made a groan that interrupted the news.

"Are you okay?" Randall asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said quietly. Randall turned back to the TV.

"The mayor visited the local elementary school class today." The video cut to the mayor. "I had the pleasure of speaking to a young girl today-"

"Hey!" I saw that man at school today!" Lil' Hilda yelled.

"Oh, really?" Randall asked. Lil' Hilda sneezed.

"I don't feel good," she said. Randall put his hand to her head.

"You're burning up," he said before grabbing her and taking her to her room. "It was pretty cold today." His cousin nodded in agreement. "Spring will come soon and it will all be better."

"I don't think so. You leave when spring comes." Randall was taken aback a bit by that.

"Yeah, that's true," he said. His cousin laid down in bed and covered her face.

"When it snows, let's make a snowman!" she said.

"We'll make a big one," Randall smiled.

"You promise?" she asked.

"Promise. We'll play a whole lot." Randall finished putting his cousin to bed.

11/4

The midnight channel came to life as the rain pattered on Randall's window, but the figure was totally indescribable.

"Who is that?" Randall muttered.

11/5

"There's absolutely no way to know who that was, it was so garbled," David said over the phone.  
"Let's watch again tonight," Randall said. He was slouching in his house, watching his cousin out of the corner of his eye. He finished his phone call with David and headed over to his cousin.

"What are you up to?" He asked as his cousin hid something behind her back.

"Nothing!" She sneezed.

"Are you still sick?" Randall felt her head. "Your fever has gone down, but maybe you should go to bed early."

"But I want to watch TV!" She complained.

"It's still pretty cold," he noted.

"Let's get the space heater out!" she exclaimed. She then ran to collect the metal box and plugged it in.

"Why isn't it getting warm?" She asked. Randall knocked on the metal box.

"I think it's broken. Let's go buy a new one," he suggested.

"Can we buy it at Junes?" Hilda cheered.

"Sure," he said. His uncle entered at that moment.

"Daddy!" Hilda yelled.

"This was in the mail for you." Uncle Elison handed him a letter. It had no postage on it. His uncle stood over him, expecting him to open it then and there. He opened it and it read 'Don't save anyone anymore'. His uncle grabbed it.

"Why don't you tell me a little more about this?" Randall couldn't speak. His cousin gasped.

"If you want to go somewhere else to talk, that's fine," his uncle said angrily.

"Daddy… big bro?" Lil Hilda was confused.

"We're just going out for a talk." He patted his daughter's head gently.

"We'll be fine," Randall said.

"I'll be waiting," she replied.

Detective Leif was waiting as Randall and his uncle entered the police interrogation room.

"You're a member of my family, and I should've done this sooner."

"Look, uncle-"

"You're going to tell me everything!" He yelled. "What are you involved in?" Randall was sweating.

"I think of you as family too. So I'll come clean." He paused. "We are involved with those cases. When people get kidnapped we rescue them, by going inside the TV."

"You mean like a television set?" His uncle slammed his fist on the table. "I thought if I had enough of your trust, you'd tell me the truth." He got up and handed the letter to detective Leif. "Send that to the lab. You're spending the night here, Randall." He got up and left the room.

"This is just his way of showing he cares. Tough love and all." Randall didn't even look at Detective Leif. "I'll… just be outside the door." He left, leaving Randall alone.

Randall was awoken by the Midnight Channel sparking to life on the small TV in the interrogation room. He looked up at it.

"Hilda!?" He screamed as his cousin stood in an archway on the TV. He ran to the door and began banging. "Let me out! I need to help Hilda!" He slid down the door hopelessly.

"What are you doing?" There was a ruckus as detective Leif spoke.

"You can't be in here!" Detective Ellison yelled as Trevor and David burst the door open. "What's the meaning of this!?" Randall's uncle broke through the pair.

"Little Hilda has gone missing," David said. Hilda walked in, carrying a corded phone from outside the room.

"Talk to Frida." Hilda pushed the speakerphone button.

"I'm at your house. The door was forced wide open and Little Hilda isn't here," Frida said. Detective Elison began walking out of the room.

"I'm going to find her," He said.

"All alone? You don't even know where to look." Detective Leif blocked the way, but he was immediately pushed clear.

"You stay here." He pointed at Randall.

"Let me come!" Randall tried to push though Leif with less luck. Leif closed the four in the room.

"What just happened?" Frida said through the still live phone.

"We got locked in the police station," Hilda grumbled.

"I'll see what I can do." Frida hung up.

"How did Hilda get kidnapped if she wasn't on TV?" Randall slammed his fist against the wall.

"She was on TV." Alfur popped out of Hilda's bag. "The mayor visited her class and talked to her. She was never shown, but she was mentioned by name, and that was enough I guess."

"I had just talked to her too," David said. "I tried to call you at home and she told me you were at the police station." Suddenly a scream came from outside followed by the sound of someone running. The viewing port on the door slid open revealing a pair of glowing green eyes.

"I heard you needed a rescue," Kelly said as she unlocked the door. The group ran out of the police station, it was now raining. By the time they reached Randall's house they were all soaked. Randall's door was totallybroken.

"Okay, we need to go over the case, now." Randall slammed his fist on his table, spraying water from his sleeve.

"We still have nothing on who this person is, besides that Hilda thinks it was a girl," David said.

"There is another thing," Hilda raised a hand. "The amount of time from when I was grabbed to when I entered the TV was short. It probably happened in front of my apartment building."

"It happened in broad daylight too," Frida said.

"She must be taking the TV with her then. Probably keeping it in her car," Alfur said.

"It must be a big car. It has to be a big TV," Randall said.

"It'd have to be a car no one would find odd to see, too," Frida added.

"A delivery van?" Randall asked.

"Wait!" Hilda yelled. "I just remembered there being a van with a bunch of radar equipment on it parked near my house that day!"

"Me too," Trevor said.

"There was one parked on our street a few days ago," Randall said. "It was for the Trolberg weather station."

"It can't be Victoria Van Gale, can it?" Hilda said quietly.

"Call Detective Leif," Randall said. "I'm going to hail a taxi to get us to Junes."

The taxi arrived a few minutes later and roared down the road, until Randall spotted the weather van on the side of the road.

"Pull over!" He yelled, and he got out of the car with Hilda, David, and Alfur. The van had crashed with a police car, and another police car was just pulling up. Randall's uncle was on the ground, bleeding from the head.

"Randall," he coughed.

"Find Hilda… and Victoria. They have to be here." He went to the van with Hilda. She ripped the door open, and found no driver.

"She left her wallet." Hilda pulled it from the car seat.

"Look!" David yelled from behind the van. "There is a TV in here!" Randall sprinted to the back of the van, only to be caught by David.

"Let me go!" He yelled.

"We don't know if entering that TV will drop us somewhere other than the stage!" David yelled back. Detective Leif was talking with Randall's uncle as an ambulance and Frida, Trevor, Kelly, and Twig's taxi rolled up.

"Hey!" Hilda yelled. "I found Victoria's diary." She held up the book. Alfur already had his reading glasses on.

"It says something about her finding a whole new world," Alfur said. "She says 'I have no choice now but to save others.'"

"Save us?" Trevor asked. "That's bullshit."

"Look at this! It's all the victims addresses!" Alfur said. "Raven Leader, Nessa, Frida, Trevor, and both Hildas. Mr. Cory isn't on here either."

"I didn't even know you went missing, Hilda," Detective Leif noted.

"Listen to this. 'I can't believe a small child appeared on the TV. I have to save her, I'm the only one who can do it,'" Alfur read. Randall noticed a small charm on the bottom of the van. He grabbed it and opened it. It was a picture of him and his cousin.

"Randall," Kelly said. "Your uncle wants to talk to you." He ran over to his uncle.

"Randall. Please save her. Save my daughter. She makes life worth living." He was having a hard time speaking as he shakily reached for Randall. He took his uncle's hand.

"I will," Randall said.

To Be Continued

AUTHOR'S NOTE

This goes out to Alt Right David, who has been leaving destructive reviews on Hilda fics across this site. I'm sorry you hate literally everything, but there's good news! You can write your own stories! In fact I formally challenge you to do it! Unless you think you can't out-write the people you call toddlers. In the meantime I'll be waiting, writing the stories I love.

Also as a bonus, since it seems you hate LGBT stuff, I'm a lesbian.

With love,

Daring D.D. Danger


	20. Fog Of War

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

20: Fog Of War

"Welcome, to the Velvet Room." Igor crossed his arms.

"I wonder what direction fate will take you, now that things have taken a turn for the worst?" Margaret mused.

"Do you believe in fortune telling?" Igor laid a series of Tarot cards out. Margaret grabbed one.

"This is the fate that awaits you. Be careful." The Velvet Room faded before Randall could see the card.

11/6

"This looks like Heaven, but from a kids' book," Hilda noted. The area was filled with trails on white clouds, large golden gates, rainbows, and vines connecting it all.

"Mom? Are you here?" Lil' Hilda's voice echoed. "Why'd you go, Mom? Why didn't you take me with you?"

"That explains it," David noted. Randall looked at the trinket his cousin had made him.

"There she is!" Trevor pointed. Lil' Hilda was being dragged up a set of stairs by Victoria. The group chased them to the very top, through all the clouds, and into a large garden.

"Why'd you follow me here!?" Victoria yelled.

"Hilda!" Randall yelled.

"Big bro," she said weakly.

"Wait! You're the ones I've already saved!" Victoria began laughing.

"Do you really think that?" Frida asked.

"Yes! And now I'll save this child."

"She doesn't need your help!" Randall yelled.

"No!" Victoria ran further into the fog of the garden.

"Wait!" Frida chased after Randall but he didn't stop.

"You're the one who's been shoving people from the Midnight Channel into this world, isn't that right!?" Randall yelled as Victoria slowed.

"Yes, that's right," she said.

"Why?" Hilda asked.

"On rainy nights the TV shows me who wants to be saved, and so I do it."

"You sound insane," Frida said.

"If I didn't put you inside of the TV world, what do you think would've happened to you?" Victoria asked.

"That's insane! What you did nearly got us killed!" Kelly yelled.

"You just wanted to murder people!" David added.

"No, the murderers are you!" she accused. "I know your plan. You want to kill this little girl!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Hilda exclaimed.

"You can't kill her because I'll save her! Just like the rest!" She held Lil Hilda up to the sky.

"Let her go!" Randall yelled.

"That's right! I'm a hero!" The ground started shaking around all of them and the clouds became lined with red.

"I'm a knight in shining armor!" The red clouds began absorbing them.

"Big bro! I can't breathe!" Randall's cousin was screaming over tears. Randall sprinted forward. He was blocked as shadows flooded the room, surrounding Victoria like a tornado.

"Astria!" Alfur called in his Persona.

"It's like the Shadows are bonding with his power!" Alfur yelled. An explosion erupted and knocked them back. An enormous creature now floated in front of them. It had clockwork surrounding its head, and was holding little Hilda, now pinched between it's left pointer finger and thumb.

"I won't let him hurt you!" Randall ran in.

"Don't rush it!" Alfur yelled.

"I'll save her!" Victoria's voice boomed as an explosion shot Randall back. He summoned a Persona and ran forward again. Victoria held up a peace sign and he froze.

"Why did he stop?" Hilda asked. A piece of clockwork appeared over his head.

"Something's wrong with him," Alfur warned. Randall turned and raised a hand.

"Run!" He yelled as his Persona unleashed a blast of fire at his friends.

"What the hell!?" Trevor yelled as his Persona cleared the smoke. Randall's persona changed as Trevor sprinted forward and it deflected his attack.

"Victoria is somehow controlling him!" Alfur shouted. Randall's Persona changed again and unleashed a huge blast of wind at his friends.

"Who knew this bitch was gonna fight back this much!?" Trevor yelled as Randall changed Personas again.

"Oh no," Alfur said as Metatron took form. "He's charging to wipe us all out at once."

"I won't let anyone get in my way!" Victoria bellowed. Light scattered from the Persona as Randall struggled.

"Let me go!" He screamed.

"Big bro. Don't hurt them," his cousin said. Randall froze.

"Do it now!" Hilda yelled and unleashed her Persona. Everyone attacked, and Trevor destroyed Metatron.

"Dammit," Randall groaned as he fought for control. His arm slowly inched up and grabbed the clockwork ring. It became searing hot and started melting Randall's flesh until he was able to throw it on the ground and shatter it. Victoria dropped Lil' Hilda as she grew weaker. Randall ran in and caught her in his arms.

"Give her back!" Victoria yelled. Clockwork began appearing over his friends' heads.

"I can't fight it!" Hilda yelled. His friends unleashed their full force on him. As the dust cleared, Orpheus stood, and unleashed his strings, shattering the clockwork controlling Randall's friends. Randall put his cousin down.

"Everyone! Now's your chance for an all out attack!" Alfur yelled. The seven ran full speed at Victoria.

"I'll be the one to save her!" she yelled.

As the dust from the attack cleared, the Shadows began leaving Victoria. Randall swapped one last time, to the Persona Anubis. A light shone from the Persona, and when it cleared, the Shadows were gone.

"We need to get her out of here," Randall said. His cousin was unconscious.

Fog surrounded the hospital in Trolberg. All was silent, save for the machine helping Lil' Hilda's breathing.

"If only we could've gotten to her sooner," Frida said.

"Us whining does her no good now," Trevor mumbled. "We need to believe in her now."

"This touchy feely shit is getting me down anyway," Kelly added.

11/21

"I swear this fog just keeps getting thicker," Hilda complained as the group walked through downtown. David returned to them with a newspaper.

"I found an article on Van Gale! I guess she woke up," David said. Hilda grabbed the paper.

"In an official statement to the police, she says that she regrets her actions and that she was motivated by fear," she read.

"So, I guess it's over," David said.

"For real this time," Frida added.

"Guess what else? I got a call from the hospital this morning, Hilda can have visitors this afternoon!"

"We should go after school, then!" Trevor suggested.

"Hey, Hilda," Randall said to his cousin.

"Big bro," she said weakly.

"Don't be expecting any big conversations, she's still weak." Randall's uncle sat in his wheelchair.

"Mr. Elison, you really should be in your room," a nurse said, opening the door. "You're still recovering, too."

"Oh, fine," he complained. Detective Leif began moving him out of the room. "Don't wheel me around like I'm an old man!" he yelled.

"I wonder when the hospital will let her go home?" Hilda asked as the group walked to their homes.

"I heard someone say their kid was bedridden because of this fog." The group passed a woman when suddenly a man in a gas mask came out of an alley.

"Run! The fog is poison! It's filled with viruses!"

"That's a bit extreme," Hilda said as the man ran off.

"You have to admit this fog has lasted a long time," David said.

"It reminds me of the TV world," Randall said.

"How could that be possible?" Kelly said.

12/3

"How would we prove the fog is from the TV world?" Randall mused.

"I'm not sure. It sounds like things with Van Gale are at a stalemate too," Alfur said.

"Apparently, nothing she's saying makes sense," David added.

"This is all still bringing me down," Hilda said. The group sat quietly and ate their food.

To Be Continued


	21. Something's Off

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

21: Something's Off

Cries echo through the hospital hallway. Detective Elison leaves the hospital room and heads down the hallway, crossing paths with Detective Leif.

"Where's he headed?" The detective asks David, who is slouched on the wall with tears running down his face. "Why so sad?" He continues. "Wait. Did Hilda...?" A moment of silence passes. "Oh no. Detective Elison. He must be headed to Van Gale's room!"

"Wait, what?" David asks.

"Tell us where it is!" Trevor yells.

"I can't!" Detective Leif raises his hands. Randall bursts from the room and runs down the hallway with the group, save for Twig.

"Let me go!" Arren's yells echo through the hospital. The group rounds the corner to see him on the ground trying to crawl into Van Gale's room. "Why did Hilda have to die!? She shouldn't be dead! Not an innocent little girl!" Detective Leif restrains him until he falls to the ground.

"Let's get him to his room." The two guards follow Leif's orders and he follows, carrying Arren's crutches.

"Do you think he was really going to kill Van Gale?" Hilda asked.

"He just lost his only daughter. I wouldn't put anything past him right now," Trevor said.

"First, Nessa, and now Little Hilda!" David says angrily.

"She should be alive. Not Van Gale," Kelly says, looking to the floor. Suddenly, a bang comes from Van Gale's room. The seven enter. She's lying on the floor, with a chair on the ground.

"She tried to break the window!" Trevor yelled.

"Do you really think you are still getting out of here?" Randall asked, directly in her face.

"She's dead and it's all your fault," Frida said through tears.

"I didn't..." Van Gale couldn't finish her sentence before the Midnight Channel took over the TV in her room.

"I didn't save her. I failed," A yellow eyed Van Gale said directly at those viewing the Midnight Channel. "It's because you got in the way."

"How can that be? She's right her, and we defeated her Shadow!" David puzzled.

"They can't get away with killing me and they know it," Shadow Van Gale said.

"Is that what you think?!" Trevor held up a fist.

"No! Please!" Van Gale begged.

"The cops may have gone easy on you, but we're not doing the same," David said, his eyes burning with hate.

"David, take it easy. What the hell are you saying?" Hilda asked.

"You really hate me right now don't you? Like I care. Living and dying are one in the same to me," Shadow Van Gale teased. "We both know you couldn't go through with it. I'll just keep saving them. That's my mission." The Midnight Channel went silent.

"She just gave us the okay." Trevor went to pick up Van Gale, but Frida stepped in the way.

"Stop," she said.

"Out of my way," Trevor said.

"Don't do it!" Frida begged.

"You know, it's odd," Kelly says.

"What do you mean?" Hilda asks.

"That is a pretty big TV for a hospital," Kelly continued.

"Wouldn't be our fault if she escaped into the TV world," Alfur continued.

"She may find she has no way out this time," Kelly finished. Van Gale tried to crawl away.

"You're not serious, are you?" Frida asked.

"Of course! They'd never do that!" Hilda said.

"Are you saying you are okay with things ending this way!?" David yelled.

"No! It sucks, but that's not the point!" Hilda yelled.

"Listen, you've got it all wrong! It didn't happen like you think it did!" Van Gale pleaded as Randall started dragging her by her hospital gown.

"Randall, what are you doing!?" Hilda and Frida yelled.

"Please don't!" Van Gale begged.

"Begging is pathetic," Kelly said.

"David! Stop him!" Hilda pleaded.

"If you don't want to be a part of this, just leave," David said.

"I'm not leaving!" Frida yelled back.

"I was just trying to save her!" Van Gale yelled as she made contact with the TV, which started to ripple.

"Randall, stop!" Hilda yelled.

"Please! PLEASE!" Van Gale screamed for her life. Randall threw her aside and screamed.

"Come on," Trevor said as Van Gale went into the fetal position.

"Dude, this is the only chance we've got! The police can barely keep her. If she walks out of here, she'll keep trying to save people!" David yelled.

"If we kill her, we're no better than her!" Randall yelled back. "We can't lose sight of what's right. It's why we started this in the first place. To find the truth."

"You already have the truth!" David grabbed him. "The truth is in this room."

"It's not," Randall said. "Something's not right."

"Like what!?" David complained.

"It just feels like we've got something wrong," Randall said.

"Bullshit!" David grabbed him by the collar. "You're wrong! Finish her!"

"Calm down," Randall said quietly "We need to use our minds, not our hearts."

"It just dawned on me, we never asked her about her point of view," Alfur said.

"How can I believe anything she says?" David asked.

"She's not innocent, but this fighting is tearing us apart," Hilda said.

"We need to stick together," Frida added. David turned to Randall.

"Fine. Let's make sure we get it right," David said.

The group sat in the empty gray hallway.

"Something has been bugging me," Frida spoke up. "Why'd she start killing people in the first place?"

"She said she was 'saving' people," Hilda noted.

"The police interrogated her after Raven Leader. They let her go, so she must've had an alibi," Alfur noted.

"Why would she have killed Raven Leader anyway? There's no connection," Frida pondered.

"So we're back to square one," Randall muttered.

"Her name was in Van Gale's diary," Kelly noted.

"My head is gonna explode!" David hit a wall.

"Wait…" Randall started. "Where's Twig?" The group split up and Randall eventually found himself outside. The first snow of the winter had begun to fall. David stepped outside.

"Did I not do the right thing? When I didn't push her into the TV?" Randall asked. He began crying and laid his head on David's shoulder.

12/4

"I got to thinking last night. If Van Gale thought she was saving us by killing us, wouldn't that mean she failed to save us?" Frida asked.

"What do you mean?" Alfur asked.

"Her Shadow said she saw Hilda's death as a failure," Frida noted.

"What about Raven Leader and Nessa?" David asked.

"The letters I was sent," Randall said.

"The threats you mean?" Hilda asked.

"The first one said 'Stop rescuing them'. Then I got one saying the next one to go in the TV would be dear to me."

"That makes no sense, why would she tell us to stop saving them if she thinks that's what she was doing?" Frida asked.

"Are you thinking someone else wrote them?" Kelly asked.

"What do you mean, warning letters?" Van Gale asked the group.

"So she didn't write them," Hilda said.

"We just want to know the truth, so help us out," Randall said softly. "We won't judge."

"You wouldn't believe it," Van Gale said.

"We might be the only ones who would believe it," Randall said.

"Alright, fine," she said. "I was watching the news, after another failed experiment. Just as I turned it off, I saw Raven Leader on the Midnight Channel. She looked like she was being absorbed by a cloud of darkness. She reached, and since I was drunk, I reached back, only to find my hand went through the TV. I'd heard about the Midnight Channel through call-ins to the weather station during broadcasts, but they'd come from kids, so I discredited them. I found myself thinking, maybe she'd used the Midnight Channel to call for help? I became obsessed with it. Then I saw Nessa. I wanted to save her, so I approached her, but she thought I was crazy. Then she wound up dead. It was the worst feeling ever. That's when I decided I needed to hide these people. I needed to put them somewhere safe. When I saw Frida, I thought she was trying to tell me the TV was safe. I didn't know what it was like in there, but I thought it was better than ending up dead, and I'd go get her later. I could never explain my idea, so my only choice was to kidnap her. I felt I was the only one who could save them. I had no idea you couldn't leave on your own until I went with that little girl." She held her head.

"I believe you," Randall said.

"When you started 'saving' people, the murders stopped, which led you to believe you were right," David said. The group returned to the halls where Detective Elison stood.

"Randall," he cried, "she's alive."

"What!?" The group shouted. They ran to Lil' Hilda's room to find her hooked back up to life support.

"It's a miracle." Trevor began sobbing.

"Where's Twig when I need him!?" Hilda began sobbing too.

"The fog is expected to continue for the near future, and it's taking a toll on the mental health of the community, we ask that everyone in Trolberg stay calm." Randall had fallen asleep at his dining room table.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room. There is no need to be alarmed, you are sound asleep in your world. Your journey has been a long one, so let's take time to reflect on everything that recently happened. Your friends are following you through the fog, and this will be a trying experience for everyone," Igor said as the cards reflecting Randall's bonds circled him

"Because of the bonds with your friends, you have formed the Judgment bond. I am truly impressed with what you've accomplished," Margaret said as the Judgment card joined the other bonds. "You've also unlocked The Empress Arcana, a bond between you and me." The card joined the others. The train suddenly grinded to a stop. "It seems we need to check our direction. We'll have to stay here for now," Margaret said.

"You should use this time to reflect, you may find it useful," Igor said.

12/5

"We walked around all day and found nothing," Hilda complained as the group sat eating, sans Twig, who was still missing.

"The murders happened over six months ago. Finding something new will be hard," Kelly said. "I'm going out for fresh air." She left the restaurant.

"I'm going to clear my head, too," Randall said. He stepped out into the crunchy snow and stood with Kelly. David followed him.

"Fuck, it's cold!" He complained.

"Then go back inside," Randall said.

"I need to clear my head, too," he said.

"There has to be someone we're missing who meets all the criteria," Kelly was pondering. "It has to be a local, who has access to all the circles of Nessa and Raven Leader. Someone who knows us, well enough to predict our actions."

"Who is that, though?" Randall asked.

To Be Continued


	22. It's All A Game

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

22: It's All a Game

The Velvet Room faded into view, but strangely, Randall locked eyes with the Deerfox, Twig. The creature had been missing for a while. Randall wondered what it meant.

The snow outside the restaurant had intensified. Kelly, David and Randall had stood in silence for a while.

"We should go over the facts with everyone one more time," Kelly said.

"I'm going back to the hospital," Randall said.

"Understood." Kelly returned to the restaurant.

"Randall," David stopped him from leaving. "We need to talk."

"Alright. What is it?"

"There was a period of time, at first, where I didn't trust you. Or maybe I was jealous of you." Randall gave him a confused look. "In just a few days here, you nabbed a Persona, you're a hero, and it's obvious people are drawn to you. There's a part of me that loves that, and I'm glad to be your friend." David was full of apprehension.

"What are you getting at?" Randall asked.

"There's a part of me I'm not proud of, and I need to say this now. I need you to do this! I need you to hit me!"

"What?" Randall was confused. "Why?"

"I think, out of everyone, I needed your approval the most. So give me one solid hit. I want to be on even ground with you. I know it's hard-" Randall hit David full force in the face, knocking him back into the snow.

"Is that what you wanted?" Randall asked.

"That really hurt, dude!" David complained.

"Are we level now?" Randall asked.

"Honestly, this was kind of embarrassing."

"If we hit each other, we'd be equal." Randall extended a hand to David and helped him up.

"Alright, let's do it." David charged at Randall.

The pair soon found themselves laying in the snow.

"You punch too hard," David said, catching his breath.

"My bad." Randall and David were side by side, both bleeding a bit.

"I feel a whole lot better now, though," David noted.

"Something bothers me," Randall said.

"What?"

"Van Gale's diary is missing Kevin's name."

"He was a copycat, he entered the TV on his own and killed Mr. Cory."

"Do we know that?" Randall sat up. David joined him. "We've just assumed he entered on his own this whole time, but has that really been confirmed? He appeared on the midnight channel, but if he didn't go in on his own..."

"The real killer did it instead," David said.

"I think this knocked some sense into me," Randall said.

"What are you thinking?" David said.

"There is someone that fits Kelly's description from earlier. All of us."

"Wait! You think one of us is the killer!?" David looked terrified.

"I know it's not you, you couldn't hurt Nessa. Alfur and Twig lack the means," Randall said.

"I don't like where you're headed," David said.

"It would've been to the killer's benefit if we'd thrown Van Gale into the TV, which rules out Hilda and Frida."

"So you think it's Kelly or Trevor?" David said.

"Tell Hilda, Alfur, and Frida. Let's meet at my house," Randall said.

Kelly entered the house last, she shut the newly fixed door gently. The group sat silently.

"Did you guys figure out who the murderer is or something?" she asked.

"Sort of. I thought about it, and realized no one fits the description of the murderer that we know," Randall said.

"And?" Kelly asked.

"That might mean it's one of us." The room went silent. "I already am fairly sure it's not David, Hilda, or Frida," he noted.

"Alfur is too small," Hilda added.

"Sure, blame it on the nightmare spirit. Real nice," Kelly said angrily.

"It has to be you. I'd never hurt anyone," Trevor said.

"You throw rocks at birds for fun, you sociopath!" Kelly yelled.

"What if neither of them is the murderer?" Hilda asks.

"It's gotta be Kelly," David said. "Trevor is too weak to kill someone."

"Come on!" Kelly complained.

"She breaks into people's houses every night," Trevor added.

"Maybe it's different because we're humans," David suggested,

"How would we even prosecute her? She's not human," Frida pointed out.

"Let's just push her in the TV and do it ourselves," Trevor said.

"We're not killers!" Hilda said. Suddenly, Randall walked up to Kelly and wrapped his belt around her.

"We have no other way to prosecute her," Randall said. "I'll take her to Junes." The group nodded and dispersed.

Randall was coming around the back of Junes so he wasn't seen hauling Kelly around in a belt. He heard a sound behind him. He turned to see Trevor twirling a pistol in his hand.

"What are you doing!?" Randall whisper yelled.

"Did you know Marra can be mortally wounded when in a leather belt?" Trevor asked as he shot the gun. The bullet echoed and Randall ducked. When he peaked he noted Kelly on the ground, her head spit open, with black ooze spilling.

"Wh-" Randall couldn't speak before the gun was in his face. Police sirens were already approaching. "We blamed the wrong person…"

"Any last words?" Trevor asked.

"Yes… Persona!" Randall yelled and put his arm up in the air, but nothing happened.

"You know you can't summon a P-" Randall swung his hand down, smacking the gun out of Trevor's hands. Randall ran full speed out of the alley and into the side entrance of Junes. There wasn't much of a late night crowd in Junes as he took a winding route to the electronics section. And dove into the TV.

"Nice landing." Trevor was clapping slowly. "If you wanted to go out fighting on the stage you should've asked."

"Orpheus!" Randall summoned his Persona. "I have the advantage over Goemon, you know that."

"I do know that." Trevor gave an evil smile. "Magatsu Izanagi!" Trevor summoned the orange Persona in a mask. Trevor pointed and the Persona lunged at Orpheus, knocking both him and Randall off the stage.

"I planned this whole thing out, Randall. You won't survive this," Trevor said.

"You made an error," Randall said.

"Oh yeah? What is it?" Trevor rolled his eyes.

"I don't wear a leather belt," Randall said.

"Wh-" Trevor was kicked in the back of the head by Kelly. He fell to the ground and his Persona disintegrated.

"Getting shot still hurts, you know!" Kelly spat on him.

"How'd you know it was him and not me?" Kelly asked.

"I trusted you," Randall said as Kelly lifted him up.

"That makes one of our friends," Kelly scoffed.

"All we can do now is wait for the cavalry." Randall gestured to the exit, and the two returned to Junes.

David rounded the corner into the electronics section ahead of the others.

"Did Trevor really shoot you!?" David was examining Kelly. She backhanded him.

"Yes, he did, but I'm fine. I can't be killed again," Kelly explained.

"Sorry for not trusting you," David said. The others approached and nodded.

"It's fine. Your fear of Marra made my plan work," Randall laughed a little. The group entered the TV. Alfur and Astria stood on the stage for a while.

"The fog's gotten worse here, too," Frida noted.

"It's like both worlds are messed up," David said.

"There's no trace of him," Alfur said. "If only that stupid Deerfox were here." Suddenly, the group heard growling and turned to see Twig.

"Twig!" Hilda ran up to the animal and gave it a big hug.

"Can you find Trevor, Twig?" Randall asked. The animal began sniffing and ran off at top speed. The group ran behind and only caught up to him at a door. Twig scratched violently at it.

"Isn't this...?" David said to Randall.

"The room from the first time we were in the TV," Randall answered.

"Didn't you almost wet yourself?" Hilda asked.

"No!" David yelled.

"Do you have any idea how annoying you all are?" Trevor's voice came from inside. They opened the door to find him leaning out of a window.

"Were you the killer, Trevor?" Randall asked.

"Does it really matter? These two worlds are about to fuse. Who will care after that?" Trevor said.

"What do you mean?" Kelly pressed.

"This world is about to become our world. All humans will turn into shadows."

"Sounds like bullshit," Kelly said.

"Stop changing the subject. Did you kill Raven Leader?"

"Do you actually want the truth? The world is going to end, so why not? It was an accident," Trevor said.

"Wait, that's not Trevor! It's just a projection," Alfur noted. The projection clapped slowly.

"Congrats, elf." A portal opened in the window and the projection entered. Hilda sprinted through after it. The others followed.

"This is the shopping district," Frida noted. All the buildings were leveled and the sky was red.

"I get the sense that he's got control over this world," Alfur said.

"I like it here." Everyone looked up to see Trevor sitting on the ruins of the gas station. "It's like I'm the king of the world. The shadows just ignore me, too." Suddenly a large shadow burst forth covered in chains and holding a gun. It took a few shots at the kids.

"That one is really powerful," Alfur said in awe.

"Catch me if you can. None of you will live long enough."

"Persona!" Kelly yelled and her Persona charged the shadow. "Go! I've got this one!" The others sprinted on.

"Hey is that the bath house?" David pointed at the former building. Trevor was sitting on a chair.

"This town is so boring. All I can do is watch TV and mess with Raven statues." Suddenly, the group was in Trevor's house. He was sticking his hand in his TV and staring. The world quickly cut again to Junes. Trevor was talking to Raven Leader when suddenly he grabbed her and forced her through a TV.

"She went in?!" He yelled and began laughing. A projection of Trevor came forth.

"I'd heard about the Midnight Channel before. It was a coincidence I touched a TV the first time and discovered my power, though."

"So you used Raven Leader to test your power?" Randall asked.

"I found the whole thing hysterical, and I knew it was going to be fun," he said.

"You're scum!" Hilda yelled as suddenly another large Shadow burst from the ground.

"Persona!" Frida and Hilda yelled. Their Persona's came forth and charged it.

"Why bother fighting back? This whole town will be swallowed by the fog, anyway," Trevor laughed a little.

"We've got it." Hilda gave Randall a thumbs up. Alfur summoned Astria and joined the girls.

"Don't lose track of him, Twig," the elf said. Randall, David, and Twig ran forward. Suddenly, the three were in another clone of Junes. Trevor was standing with Nessa. He had her pinned against a wall and she slapped him.

"So that's how it's going to be," Trevor said as he grabbed her by the face and forced her into a TV. "Girls these days are such a pain in the ass." David slid down a nearby wall. "Maybe I'll let you out if you beg a little bit," Trevor yelled into the TV. Suddenly his projection was next to them.

"The only cool part of this story was getting my powers," it said.

"Hey, shut up!" David yelled.

"Look at it from my perspective. I had no clue what it was like in the TV world. Besides, those bitches got what they deserved. I think I've done this world a favor."

"Shut up!" David threw a punch which went through the projection.

"What did you do to Van Gale?" Randall asked.

"I happened to catch her musing about other worlds on the radio in the middle of the night. I called in and told her that no one would ever believe her story, so she should do something about it. Your own good intentions started a vicious cycle, and it was awesome." Suddenly, another Shadow burst forth. David and Twig summoned their Personas.

"Leave it to us," David said. Randall chased after the projection.

"You threw Kevin in, too, didn't you?" Randall asked.

"The cops wrote him off as a joke and let him go, and I just happened to catch him," Trevor shrugged. "If I let him take the fall, Van Gale would've stopped saving people and the game would've ended."

"So it's all a game to you?" Randall asked.

"That sort of stuff is important in life. You almost ruined it by saving him, but Van Gale kept saving people. What an idiot!" Randall kept walking and approached a table in the street. Trevor was pouring tea.

"I'm surprised you made it this far."

"Why did you really do this?" Randall asked.

"I didn't have a motive. It was because I could and it was fun. I don't think me or this world are the killer. This place reflects people's thoughts, so really, the killers are the people from our world, like you. Why don't you go back to school, get into college, meet a cute girl… er, guy, I guess? Stop worrying about this crap, it's inevitable. Or do you have nothing better to do because you are a lonely loser?"

"I think you're the loser." Trevor seemed blown away by Randall's words.

"Don't think you're better than me. I told you, once your world gets swallowed, everyone will turn into Shadows."

"You're pathetic."

"You're so annoying! The new world doesn't need assholes like you!"

"Let's finish this," Randall said quietly.

"I thought if I ignored you, you'd go away. In order to show you who this world prefers, I just have to kill you! Magatsu Izanagi!"

"Orpheus!" Randall yelled back.

"Be a good little boy and die quickly!" The pair charged at each other.

To Be Continued


	23. The New Potential

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

23: The New Potential

"Stop trying to face reality. There's nothing you can do to change it," Trevor said as his Persona clashed with Randall's, filling the ruins of Trolberg with sparks. "Why choose reality when you can have a world of your own making? That's clearly the correct choice." Magatsu Izanagi swung its blade over its head, forcing Orpheus to the ground. "We all prefer the easy life." Trevor gave a wink which sent a small beam of light, and forced Randall to the ground.

"All reality gives you is boredom. No one actually wants to live in a world like that, they just deal. Because they think they have no choice." Trevor walks up and holds his gun to Randall's head. "If you don't have talent, you are left to rot in despair. Game over. Wouldn't we be better off without this reality shit?"

"This is not a game. These are lives!" Randall yelled as Trevor pulled the trigger.

"Someday, you will all understand what I'm saying. That reality sucks," Trevor's copy said to Kelly as her Persona neared its breaking point. "The fog will soon consume our world and the humans will turn into Shadows. That's what the masses truly desire. In that sense, I'm doing the world a favor."

"If you want to stay here, then fine. Just leave me out of it!" Undine made a lunge forward and pushed the Shadow back.

"There's nothing I hate more than naïve brats. You should really listen to what I'm saying. I'm speaking from experience." Kelly suddenly got distracted by a large object in the sky: a black ball surrounded in smoke.

"It's coming!" Trevor reached up to the sky. "Soon, all the humans will be Shadows!" He laughed.

"It's clearly a massive concentration of energy, and it's headed here fast." Alfur looked up at the ball. Hilda and Frida stood behind Astria, with worried looks on their faces.

"There's no reason to be afraid." Trevor's copy was lounging in some rubble. "Yes, all the humans will be Shadows, but everyone will keep on living." The large Shadow toppled Frida's Persona, sending her to the ground.

"You okay?" Hilda extended a hand to her friend.

"The people will be oblivious to their surroundings, but that's no different than our current reality. If you're lucky, you'll carve out eighty or so years and then bam! It's over. As Shadows, everything will be better! No more repressed emotions, no more pretending we don't see things."

"The world you're envisioning is bullshit!" David yelled at his copy of Trevor.

"Think back to when you first met your Shadows. Didn't they seem to enjoy life more than you ever have? Our Shadows move on pure instinct. They only go crazy when you resist them!"

Randall stared at the ground in front of him, where the bullet had entered.

"Scared, right? I've always wanted to fire this, you know," Trevor said. "You guys don't know when to quit. What do you want that's worth your life? Did you want to find a sense of justice?" Trevor lifted Randall's chin using the gun. "I know. You just wanted to add some spice to your boring life? You're not that much different from a murderer. You just sit around playing your guessing game." Magastsu Izanagi was stamping Orpheus into the ground. Randall couldn't breathe. "Did you ever think about what you'd do with the truth once you found it? No one cares about the truth. Van Gale was the serial killer, case closed. That's what the world sees. What would happen if you did catch me? For a brief moment, the point of focus would shift, but it wouldn't matter because people don't care who the real killer is. That is the truth you've been searching for, like it or not." Magatsu Izanagi plunged it's blade into Orpheus. Randall began gagging and trying to draw breath as Trevor sighed.

"You're wrong! That isn't the truth!" Randall choked out the words. Trevor walked up and put the gun to Randall's face.

"I'm done playing games. You don't have what it takes to shoot me!"

"Really?" Trevor asked with a smile.

"I've heard enough! It's all bullshit! No matter what you say, you won't get away with this!" Randall weakly grabbed the gun and began pulling it away. "And that is the truth!"

"What you're spouting… is just the rantings of a lunatic!" Kelly's Persona toppled the large Shadow. "We need each other to survive! If you sever ties with society, of course life becomes difficult!"

"What do you know!?" Trevor yelled as Kelly defeated the large Shadow.

"Hilda, now!" Alfur yelled as Hilda's persona took a large punch, defeating her and Frida's large Shadow.

"There's nothing special about you at all! You're just a lame thug!" David yelled.

"Shut up! Shut the hell up!" Trevor yelled as David's Persona pinned down the Shadow, and Twig's Persona sent it up in flames.

"I'll kill you! I'll kill you like I did everyone else!" Trevor backed off and covered his face as his Persona took several swipes at Randall's.

"That's not the way it's going to happen." Orpheus took a final swipe at Magatsu Izanagi.

"You will pay for your crimes." Trevor let out a scream.

"You're a stain on the Earth! Shut up and die already!" he bellowed. "You can't ignore everything I said! Just accept the truth and die!" Suddenly, a large explosion went off and filled the area with dust.

"You had that coming," Trevor laughed.

"We've accepted the truth," Randall said. Before Trevor could finish reacting to him being alive, Orpheus broke through the dust. "To get here, we've had to come face to face with things we never wanted to see."

"You brats don't know what I've been through!" Trevor yelled.

"If you think you're the only one that's had it rough, you're the naïve one."

"There's no way I'm losing to you!" Trevor yelled.

"You need to face reality!" Randall yelled as Orpheus ripped Trevor's Persona in half at the abdomen. Trevor let out a scream and fell to his knees. Randall was hyperventilating.

"This isn't fun at all," Trevor whispered. "Who cares, though? the other world will be gone in no time. I'm never going back." He held the gun to his head and pulled the trigger. Suddenly, he was surrounded by Shadows, which lifted him off the ground. Trevor now spoke in a voice that didn't belong to him.

"The humans will turn to Shadows. Once the worlds are unified, I will descend upon this land and rule over you all as the master of order." The smoke cleared from around the orb. It was a large eye, the retina shaped like a camera lens, the outside covered in metal spikes. "The two worlds will soon be inseparable, fused together by an eternal fog that will never lift."

"Who are you?" Randall asked.

"I am Ameno-sagiri, controller of the fog, awakened by human desires. Try as you may, you cannot stop your world's imminent destruction. It is all but a matter of time." A large pink beam shot from the retina, sending rubble shooting into the air. Randall found himself alive, but pinned under rubble, Orpheus destroyed.

"What's with the eyeball!?" Hilda asked as her Persona freed Randall.

"It's what's pulling the worlds together! We need to stop it!" Alfur yelled.

"How!?" Frida yelled.

"So you did this. You made the fog," Randall said.

"I desire what humans desire. When I find a way to fulfill their desires, I do it. Humans have long blurred the line between reality and fiction." Randall summoned Belial as it talked. "I've decided to expand this world, and erase reality for good." Randall attacked but the eye didn't flinch. "You played your part perfectly. You helped startle the masses and spread the madness, but now, your part is done, and you will turn into Shadows. Forget reality and embrace the shroud of darkness that comes with the fog."

"You're mental!" David and Twig shot into action, still having no effect.

"This world was spawned by the collective unconscious of the human race. It's a barren land swarming with your people's craving for delusion and desires."

"We get that already!" Kelly's Persona joined the others, still unable to move the eye an inch.

"I'm the one that made it possible for you to enter this land. That made it possible to bring about this fate."

"You're why we can enter the TV," Alfur said.

"So what? Who cares?!" Hilda sent her Persona, with Frida's following behind.

"Humans see what they want to see, as they want to see it. This is the world where those false perceptions gather. There's a window here that displays what they want to see."

"The Midnight Channel!" Randall yelled.

"That's why people who ended up on the news were on the Midnight Channel? Because we wanted to see more of them?" David asked.

"That bothered me. When we were in Van Gale's room, the Midnight Channel didn't show us her thoughts. It was what we wanted to see," Frida said.

"That means when we watched alone, we could've each seen something entirely different," Kelly noted.

"The more people become comfortable with the delusion, the less interested they get in the truth. The barren land must expand to accommodate this."

"You don't think people care about the truth? Bullshit! Do you know how hard we had to fight to get this far? The only reason we did it was to learn the truth!" David yelled.

"Yes. You're right, and that was the one thing I had not anticipated. One by one you conquered the Shadows designed to kill you, and turned them into a tool you could fight back with. It's a new facet of the human race. The question is, am I wise to put my trust in this aspect of humanity? The only way I'll know for sure, is if I put it to the test." Electricity gathered around Ameno-sagiri, suddenly bursting forth in all directions. "I will turn everyone into Shadows and start this world anew. Humans will have to prove they want the truth." Rubble began orbiting the eye.

"Not while I'm still alive, you won't," Randall choked. Shadows gathered around Randall and lifted him up to the eye.

"Why do you oppose this so fiercely? A single human cannot oppose me."

"Maybe not, but I'm not alone," Randall said.

"Human bonds simply do not last. Keep in mind this disingenuous world was created by people running away from reality. They prefer the lies."

"That- isn't the truth," Randall choked. "They don't want to embrace the lies. Human bonds are what make us strong. My friends have proven that to me. If I'm with them, I can overcome anything. We will never give up." Darkness filled Randall's eyes as he was swallowed in Shadow.

"Randall!" David's voice echoed. Suddenly, his Persona approached, and touched Randall's hand. Part of Ameno-sagiri exploded, propelling Randall free and into the Persona's hands. Randall's friends' Personas shone brilliantly as they all streaked across the sky and hit the eye, shattering its outer shell.

"Come on, now! Take it!" Kelly yelled.

"We're all counting on you!" Frida yelled.

"I love you! Now get him!" Hilda was projecting as much as she could.

"Take his ass down in one blow!" David added.

"Make us all proud!" Alfur said through Astria. Randall began floating upward, the cards matching his bonds surrounding him. They all came together in his hand.

"Persona!" A column of light erupted from him, revealing his largest Persona yet, bearing demon horns and 3 sets of bat wings. Hundreds of lasers shot from Ameno-sagiri, but deflected off the Persona. Light shot from the Persona's hand, piercing clear through the eye. It shattered as a hole opened into the sky, sending light into the TV world.

"You have proven the extent of human capability. Human desires are my desires. I shall return whenever the human race calls upon me. Farewell, children of this new potential." The eye faded into the light.

The group approached Trevor, lying in the rubble.

"Leave me, I'm almost done for. The Shadows will devour me, and you will have your wish. That is why you came here, to kill me?"

"Hell no, you idiot," David said. "Your game is over. You're going to live and pay for your crimes. That's how things work in the real world."

"Trevor, let's go." Randall held out a hand.

"I don't believe it! The fog's gone!" Hilda ran through the streets. The group had fought overnight and returned to see the morning sun.

"We really did it this time, didn't we?" Frida asked.

"It's over, isn't it?" David looked to Randall.

"Yeah, and somehow we won." Randall took David's hand and shook it. The other added their hands to the pile.

"What are we doing?" Kelly asked.

"Who cares? It's fun!" Hilda yelled.

"On three. One, two, three, we did it!" Hilda raised her hand and yelled while the others looked at her.

"You're expecting a lot if you think we're doing a team cheer," Kelly said.

"Alright. Come on, let's do Hilda's cheer," Alfur said. "Lead us off."

"Now I don't wanna." Hilda hid in her sweater.

"I'll do it then," Randall said. Hilda returned to the circle and the group all cheered their victory.

12/25

Several poppers went off in Randall's home as the entire investigation team yelled "Merry Christmas" to Lil' Hilda, who'd gotten out of the hospital just in time. Randall's uncle pulled him aside.

"I owe you a thank you. I don't know how you did it, but Trevor confessed to the two murders. There's some vague areas still, but I have no doubt he'll pay for his crimes. This was one weird case, if that TV World you mentioned was real, it would all come together. But don't think I'm buying it. You've done a lot to help me, haven't you? I was supposed to be taking care of you. Now spring is almost here. I'll be glad to have you around until then."

"I'll be glad to have you guys around, too," Randall said.

Hilda nudged Randall as people began filing out for the night.

"What?" He asked.

"Do it," she said.

"Do what?" He asked.

"I can tell when you stare at David," Hilda said. "Just ask him out." She left and Randall approached David in his yard.

"David," he began.

"What's up, bro?" David turned.

"Would you like to..." Randall trailed off.

"Out with it, dude," David joked.

"Would you like to stay the night with me?" Randall finished. David blushed.

"You mean... like, a date, don't you?" Randall nodded at David sheepishly. "I don't know, dude. I've never really questioned if I'm into guys." David put his hand behind his head. Snow fell between the two in silence for a minute. "Okay." David nodded, and Randall took his hand. The two smiled at each other.

3/21

It was two minutes to Randall's train back to the capitol. The entire group was gathered, as well as his uncle and cousin.

"I guess it's time," David said. Kelly was crying quietly.

"He hasn't left yet, Kelly," Frida said.

"Big bro! Don't go!" Lil' Hilda was bawling her eyes out. "Don't leave me!" She clung to his shirt. "Someday, when I grow up, I'm gonna marry you!" She yelled. The entire group let out a shocked sound followed by laughter.

"Hilda," he said softly.

"You wouldn't be the worst choice," His uncle laughed loudly.

"You promised not to cry," Randall said to his cousin as she returned to her father.

"I decided to leave your room as is. You're family, and it will always be there," Uncle Elison said.

"Thank you for everything," Randall said.

"I'm sure we'll see each other again," Kelly said. "Stay in touch. Promise, okay?" She smiled.

"Come visit us on breaks!" Frida said.

"The train will soon arrive. Please stand behind the white line for safety, and board the train promptly," A male voice said.

"That's it, bro, time to go," David said. Randall walked up and gave David a small kiss.

"Yeah, it is," Randall said as he boarded the train. He waved out the window as the others ran alongside the train, until they were out of view.


	24. Reach For The Truth

Shadow Over Trolberg

A Hilda/Persona 4 AU

By Daring D.D. Danger

Endgame: Reach For The Truth

3/20

David gasped a little as he tripped on Twig. He was attempting to oversee everything going on at Randall's goodbye party. Frida was decorating and Hilda was cooking.

"Frida, does this taste right?" Hilda held out the spoon to her friend and she took a bite.

"Seems weak, Hilda," Frida said.

"I should add this, then!" Hilda held out a small bottle with a skull on it.

"Should I help them?" Randall asked Kelly, who sat on the couch with him.

"Nah, it's your goodbye party, after all," she replied. "Just relax.

"Randall!" Hilda ran over with the spoon. "Try this!" Randall could sense something sinister about the spoon.

"Oh no. You aren't poisoning him during his own party," David said.

"You try it, then!" Hilda put the spoon in his mouth. David began running around and screaming.

"You seem off today," Hilda said.

"I'm fine," Randall assured her.

"I can't believe you're actually leaving," Frida said.

"Big bro! You got a letter!" Little Hilda yelled, while rummaging through some Junes bags. "Uh oh! I think I forgot to get Daddy his pickled radish." She looked down. "Now I have to go back and get it," she mumbled.

"I'll go with you," Randall said.

"You'll come back on your breaks, right, big bro?" His cousin asked as they walked together through the shopping district.

"Yeah, I'll be here in the summer," he replied.

"Goodie! Then it won't seem so bad," she said. Suddenly, she stopped.

"What's wrong?"

"I wanna be with you forever! Promise you won't forget about me!"

"I promise." Randall's cousin hugged him.

"You better not, ever." They hugged for a while.

3/20

"Hey Randall, give this a try!" Hilda handed him the spoon of food. Randall looked around at his friends, as if he'd woken up from a daze.

"Is something wrong?" Hilda asked.

"It's probably your cooking," David laughed.

"Then you eat it!" She shoved the spoon in David's mouth, he began screaming and running around the room.

"Big bro! You got a letter!" Little Hilda yelled, while rummaging through some Junes bags. "Uh oh! I think I forgot to get daddy his pickled radish." She looked down. "Now I have to go back and get it," she mumbled. Randall took a look at the letter. He flipped it and saw it was from Trevor.

'I'm sure you're surprised to get this letter. I'm writing because I have something to tell you. It's true. Ny game is over. Our friends were right. I have to abide by the rules of this world.

Something still bothers me. I can't stop thinking about how this all started. The Midnight Channel. I can't seem to remember who originally told me about it. It seems like Van Gale and I only gained our power when you came to Trolberg, so maybe there is more to this. Maybe you can make something out of it.'

Randall called the group to Junes where he read the letter to them.

"What is the source of the Midnight Channel rumor? That is an interesting question," Kelly pondered.

"Couldn't you use your Persona from the moment you got here, and go in the TV?" Frida asked.

"Yeah, I could," Randall said.

"In that way, you are like Trevor and Van Gale. You never had to fight your own Shadow."

"We must be missing something. If the Midnight Channel and the power to enter the TV weren't related, these things wouldn't be lining up," David said.

"What if the person that told Trevor about the Midnight Channel also gave him the power to enter the TV World?" Hilda suggested.

"Hmm. Do you have any idea who that person would be?" Kelly asked Randall.

"No," he replied.

"Think about when you first got your power. That might help us find the person who started the rumor about the Midnight Channel."

"I'm not sure. I do remember having a really strange dream, the first night I was here."

"Was the dream prompted by anything?" Kelly asked.

"I'm not sure… unless- the day I got here, I went straight to my Uncle's house." Randall trailed off.

3/20

"Alright, open up!" Hilda approached with the spoon.

"Big bro-"

"Hilda!" Randall ran up to his cousin. "On the first day I got to Trolberg, did we stop somewhere before coming to the house?"

"What's got you so freaked out?" David said.

"Where did we stop?" Randall asked again.

"The gas station," Lil Hilda said. "We talked with that attendant guy, and after, you looked really sick." Randall sprinted out of the door and into Trolberg. As he ran it began to rain, and he started getting a severe headache. Eventually he had to stop and take a knee.

"Something wrong?" A voice said. The gas station attendant walked up behind him. "You should go home if you aren't feeling well."

"Who are you?" Randall asked.

"That's a strange question to ask," he replied.

"Tell me who you really are!" Randall yelled. The boy began laughing.

"I never expected you to make it this far. You wielded your power so well I should've seen this coming."

"You did this to us! You gave these powers to Trevor and Van Gale too."

"Really. You don't remember?" The boy took Randall's hand. Suddenly the memory of his first day in Trolberg came back to him. "Remember that welcoming handshake you got? Just a few strangers was all the spark a small place like this needed. But that spark was more than I anticipated. It was enough to fill the whole town with fog. Then you had to clear it away."

"No more games, who are you?" The boy laughed at Randall, before being consumed in white light. He transformed into a woman in white.

"I am Izanami. Ameno-sagiri, who controls the fog, is merely an aspect of myself I fostered long ago," She said in a new voice, that seemed to echo from nowhere.

"You're the one who created the Midnight Channel, and spread the rumors about it!" Randall said.

"Yes, and I gave you the power to enter that realm. The world you call The Midnight Channel. But that is all I did." Izanami lowered to Randall's level and stared with deep red eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"I was merely observing what you did with that power. I wanted to know what kind of world humans yearned for. It was your individual will that determined what you would see on that channel. There was no other trick. Whoever was shown was someone who the collective community desired to see more of. There were those who were hiding aspects of who they are, and those who desired to see what they were hiding. So I created a window to link the two. "

"And that window is the Midnight Channel," Randall said softly.

"Now you get it! I gave you exactly what you wanted to see. It was the curious nature of humans that truly set things in motion. Whatever they truly wanted was shown to them, a reflection of their own hearts' desires. Human beings are such a foolish species, the truth is the last thing they long for. They only wish to see what they want, they prefer to live in a world that is engulfed in fog." Randall's headache worsened again. "Now you understand. For humans to be truly happy, they must be trapped in fog, where they can see nothing but what they desire."

"I don't believe you at all! Being trapped in the fog isn't the answer, it doesn't bring happiness!"

"Are you really in a position to be telling me this?" Izanami laughed.

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you really want to see the truth? Are you sure? Do you really want to see the cold hard facts about reality?"

"Are you telling me this isn't..." Suddenly Randall was filled with visions of his friends, lifeless and trapped in a dark fog. "That's right. It's not."

Randall was suddenly in another world, just as dozens of shadowy hands dragged Kelly into the ground, screaming for her life.

"This is the unpleasant truth of your reality." Izanami now towered over him, obscured by fog.

"Orpheus!" Randall's Persona lunged at Izanami and was blown back with enough force to drive it into the ground and cause Randall to scream.

"Is that the best you can do? You disappoint me," Izanami taunted. Shadowy hands began grabbing Randall's limbs and dragging him into the void. "This is the voice of the human race. They're saying they are happy in the fog where they see what they choose. You're disrupting their happiness." Just as Randall was about to go under, David ran up and grabbed his hand, pulling him free.

"You okay, bro?" He asked.

"Yeah," Randall replied as the hands began trying to drag David under. "David, fight it!"

"I can't, bro! it's up to you!" David was pulled under.

"David!" Randall yelled as he fell to his knees.

"Frida!" Hilda yelled in genuine fear as a hand took her by the head.

"Hilda!" Frida was trying to crawl free.

"Don't do this!" Randall begged.

"Frida! Save me!" Hilda cried with her last breath.

"Save us, Randall!" Frida tried to reach out a hand.

"Don't do this! Please stop! I don't want to see this!" Randall begged as his friends disappeared. He smashed his fists on the ground.

"Now do you understand? All that awaits if you pursue the truth is anguish and agony. Wouldn't you prefer to spend eternity in a world of your own desires? Wouldn't that bring you far greater happiness?"

3/20

Randall looked around his uncle's home. Everything was where it was the last time.

"We'll be friends forever, won't we?" Randall asked.

"Why even ask the question? Of course," David said.

3/20

"Here you go!" Hilda handed Randall the spoon once again.

"I'm not letting you poison him!" David said as Hilda put the spoon in his mouth, causing him to run screaming. Randall laughed with the group.

3/20

"Let's add these." Randall handed Hilda several ingredients. He was feeling unusually tired.

"I'm not sure about that," Hilda said, worried.

"It'll be fine. It'll all be fine," Randall assured her.

"Forgive me for this." Randall suddenly awoke to being slapped across the face by Margaret. He was suddenly blown away as she summoned a Persona. "I'm sorry things have come to this. I must say goodbye." The Persona launched a volley of fireballs, Randall cowered and prepared for the hit, but it never came. He looked up and noticed one of his Persona had come out on it's own and taken the hit.

"Big bro! You'll come back, won't you?" Lil Hilda's voice said.

"Hilda?" Randall asked. Margaret launched another attack and another Persona grew from him.

"You really had my back. Don't lose now, okay?" The Great Raven's voice joined the echo as the attack deflected. The pattern continued as more and more voices joined the echo. Hilda's mom, the Librarian, Twintail, Euryale, even the Woodman. More and more Persona spilled between him and Margaret and she began to weaken. The Rat King, Tontu, even David's troll joined the voices.

"You've saved my life in more ways than one. I was supposed to take care of you, but you took care of me." As Randall's uncle spoke, Randall stood, summoning the Persona on his own this time. "That's how we were able to truly become a family." Suddenly, light filled the area. The room was filled with TVs, all depicting Randall's face, but with yellow eyes.

"I was afraid of a future without my friends. Afraid of leaving everyone behind. Afraid of moving forward on my own. I don't want to be alone again. I've been alone and I won't go back." Shadow Randall finished talking.

"I won't go back!" Randall's Persona began charging an attack.

"Now, time to end this!" Margaret said. Both Persona launched an attack, knocking both back with a scream.

"I wanted to stay with everyone forever. I didn't care if it was an illusion created by the fog. Life without connection to people is miserable. It's not the life I want. I just need them here, no matter what the cost." Randall got up crying as his Shadow spoke.

"You're right. I had no use for the truth, did I? As long as I had them, I didn't care if it was an illusion. It didn't matter." Randall looked at his Shadow. "I know who you are, and you're me." The Shadow smiled and disappeared, taking the form of a single card, which fell into Randall's hand.

"I am no longer alone!" He yelled as Orpheus sprang forward and destroyed Margaret's Persona.

"Even if you should lose everything, you will never again feel like you have been abandoned." Margaret walked forward and extended a hand. "Do yourself a favor and don't ever forget that." He shook her hand and found that she'd given him something. He looked at the glowing pearl like object in his hand.

"This is a crystal of the power you have nurtured on this journey. This orb whisks away false pretenses and dispels lies as it illuminates the truth." Igor's voice seemed to come from the orb. He looked in front of him as Margaret vanished. He held the orb in the air and the room filled with light.

Randall was now back with Izanami, but she was now a large demon skeleton, red flesh dripping off of the bones.

"Interesting. Why did you come back?" she asked.

"Is what I'm seeing now your true form?" Randall asked.

"That changes nothing. The collective will of humanity will pull you into the abyss. Over and over again." As she spoke, hands began clawing at him from the ground, but they were unable to maintain a grip. He walked forward in Izanami's direction.

"What's this? The will of one human can't turn the will of the masses. Izanami shot lasers from her eyes, but Randall summoned Orpheus to take the blow, and kept approaching Izanami.

"Why do you keep pushing forward? You will be happier with the illusion. Embrace the fog and get trapped in a world that gives you what you desire."

"What makes me happy is not your decision to make." Randall summoned the Persona that defeated Ameno-sagiri to deflect another blow.

"Your friends no longer exist in this world. Do you want to live alone forever?"

"You're wrong. I am far from alone." His Persona was destroyed and lightning began surrounding him as he continued to walk forward.

"Human beings do not have the potential to defeat the fog. Stop fighting and embrace it."

"I think it's time I showed you what true potential is!" Randall was surrounded in blue light as he held his hand up. "Izanagi-no-Okami!" The Persona towering as high as Izanami appeared behind Randall.

"Do you think you're a god!?" She launched an attack. Izanagi deflects it and severs several of her limbs in the same swing.

"Impossible," she says quietly. Light began gathering around Izanagi.

"Anyone can do it. As long as they open their eyes and look around, they will see it. They'll see the truth!" A shot hit Izanami in the chest. "There is a fog, they just have to embrace the truth to get rid of it!" Another shot hits the goddess. "This is what's right, and this is the path I chose to follow!" Finally, Izanagi used all of its power. When the light cleared, Izanami was consumed in red flame.

"Very well" She laughed as she began to disintegrate. "If that is what you desire, you've managed to clear the fog in this world and the real world. I shall observe from on high for now, and we will see if this does lead to happiness."

"Fine, you'll see it for yourself," Randall smiled.

"You have done well, child of the humans." With that, she vanished. He blinked and was transported to a verdant green landscape.

"Is this the TV world?" He looked around as birds sang. "Is that what it was like before the fog?"

"For someone of your age, you've had a very powerful and meaningful journey," Igor's voice echoed.

"Now that the fog is cleared, there is nothing left to lead you astray. Follow your heart, as it leads you down your own path," Margaret's voice joined.

"I'm afraid to tell you this, but it is the last time we will invite you here," Igor's voice faded.

"What the?" Randall turned to see that David had awoken in the grass. "Wasn't I?"

"What? Where are we?" Kelly asked.

"It's so pretty..." Frida looked around.

"You're all here..." Randall shuddered.

"We found you!" Hilda yelled as everyone ran up and hugged him.

3/21

Randall found himself in the Velvet room one last time, the blue train car riding through the fog.

"At long last, the contract has been fulfilled, and you were truly a superb guest. Now it's time for you to go and embrace what you see before you. Behold how beautiful the future is in the world you've fought so hard for, and won, for yourself." The car stopped and the doors opened as Igor spoke. The Velvet Room faded for the last time.

Randall stepped onto the train that would take him away from Trolberg.

"Well, see you around," David said.

"Give it your all, okay?" Frida added.

"I've always got your back," Kelly flexed. Twig barked from next to her.

"Come back and see us again. Take care!" Hilda said.

"I can't wait to see you again!" Alfur was waving from Hilda's shoulder.

"We're all gonna miss you," Uncle Elison said.

"See you later big bro! Bye bye!" Lil Hilda waved.

"I guess this is it, goodbye!" Randall said as the doors closed and the train began moving. The others began running alongside.

"I'm so glad I met you! Thanks for everything!" Frida yelled.

"Whatever you do, don't forget about us!" Hilda yelled.

"Just so you know! I love you!" David yelled, shedding a tear.

"Wherever you go, we'll always be friends!" Kelly yelled.

"I'll never forget any of you," Randall said to himself. "I promise."

End

Authors Notes

It's odd to finish this story I'll admit. Since I haven't done authors notes on a fic since Remorse, I thought I'd say a few things.

Shadow started as kind of a joke, but I took it more seriously around the fifth chapter on. I actually have a lot of regrets about this story looking back, because of the way it started. I never really felt like I got even time for every social link in particular (sorry Tontu). I also really came to regret how a lot of it had to be very cookie cutter from Persona 4 (especially the Ameno-sagiri section and the part where Nanako/Lil Hilda runs away). I suppose I couldn't do those parts better than Persona 4 did, because it's already a masterpiece. Also I regret naming the MC's cousin Hilda. It was originally for that moment of Hilda meeting a little version of herself to be cute, but man did it get annoying by about the Heaven chapter.

This story was being written around the same time as Remorse, when I was just starting in the Hilda fandom, back in early 2019, and it's ironic it took me until pretty much when I had my falling out from said fandom to finish it, here in mid 2020.

A fun fact to add, This story inspired Viridescent Shadows. I had the idea after writing that conversation between Randall and Twintail about her past, and of course I finished that story and it's sequel before Shadow Over Trolberg.

As far as what I will do in the future? I still like Hilda as my muse, so I plan to keep writing it. After this I'm thinking I want to pick Seventeen Forever back up though (black sheep of my fics amirite?). Also expect Into The Hildaverse, Act 2 very soon, as well as Viridescent Shadows 3: Gemma Chronicles. Also another unannounced project of mine, about another Tarot themed video game I like. (Something's Changed, And I didn't know, You're slipping away…) Will there be a Shadow Over Trolberg 2? Maybe, I've thought it through but the idea feels lofty at this time so probably not.

I want to give a shoutout to Ghost In The Mirror author Nick, who inspired this damn fic out of a joke (which is why a lot of side characters in this used names from Ghost in the Mirror)

Miss Lovelin, the Lilliputian Perspective author, for editing this entire forty thousand word monstrosity for grammar, and for being a pretty cool GF for a few months last year.

Newgame+LD, The Paradox trilogy author, for creating a fan cover for this story, before it had an official one.

David, the creator of Randall, for letting me borrow such a cool OC

Bidoof64 on Discord, for being a sometimes overwhelming fan of my work

Finally, Hiro, the artist who drew the official cover, and who has gotten me through a really rough COVID19 quarantine, I love you, you dork.

Lastly I figured I'd tell you what everyone's Tarot Arcana was, just for funsies.

Randall – The Fool

Hilda – The Magician

David – Strength

Frida – The Hierophant

Trevor – The Emperor

Kelly – The Lovers

Twig – The Chariot

Alfur – The Star

Uncle Elison – Temperance

Lil Hilda – The Priestess

Margaret – The Empress

Johanna – The Moon

The Librarian – Death

David's Troll – Justice

Twintail – The Devil

Tontu – The Hermit

The Rat King – Fortune

The Great Raven – The Sun

Euryale – The Tower

Woodman – The Hanged Man

The Investigation Team/Seekers of Truth – Judgment

Until next time,

Daring D.D. Danger


End file.
